The body of the former first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, is expected to be flown into Scotland later today.

It emerged on Thursday that businessman Sir Tom Hunter paid for a chartered flight to repatriate the body of the Alba Party leader from North Macedonia, where he died of a heart attack on Saturday, aged 69. 

Salmond was in the city of Ohrid to attend a conference.

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(Image: PA) Today's flight is due to take off at about 11am, landing in Aberdeen at around 1.45pm.

Salmond’s coffin was draped in a Saltire ahead of the flight. Former SNP MP and Alba Party chairwoman, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, was among those who placed the flag on top of the coffin before it was taken to the plane.

Mr Salmond’s body was carried by six members of the North Macedonian military to the flight, along a red carpet which was flanked by eight other soldiers standing at attention, to the sound of a trumpet.

The soldiers, flight and ground crew observed a moment’s silence before Mr Salmond’s body was loaded onto the flight.

The former first minister’s family, along with Alba Party acting leader Kenny MacAskill, will be there to receive the coffin, which will be taken by hearse to the family home.

Tory MP Sir David Davis, a friend of the former SNP leader, had previously pushed for the RAF to bring his body back.

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However, the Alba Party - which Salmond formed in 2021 - confirmed that Sir Tom, a private citizen, had stepped in to pay for the flight.

Sir Tom said: “Whilst he and I disagreed on some of his ambitions, Alex Salmond devoted his life to Scotland and the Scottish people and as such he, and importantly his family, deserved the dignity and privacy of a private return to the home of his birth.

“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with his family at this time.

“To be clear, I remain resolutely apolitical.”

Kenny MacAskill, who stepped in after Mr Salmond’s death to take over as the acting leader of the Alba Party, added: “The family are incredibly grateful for the support which is being provided by a private citizen to charter a private plane to allow Alex’s body to come home to Scotland.

“It brings a great deal of comfort to Moira and other members of the family to know that he will soon be home with them.

“The family have asked that their privacy be respected at this time and will be making an announcement in due course about the funeral arrangements and a memorial service to honour the life of Alex Salmond.”