The body of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has been brought back to Scotland on a private jet, six days after the politician died suddenly in North Macedonia.

Alex Salmond’s coffin was draped in a Saltire ahead of the plane bringing him home to Scotland taking off. Mr Salmond died on Saturday from a heart attack while speaking at a conference in the city of Ohrid in North Macedonia.

Preparations are under way to send Alex Salmond's body home to Aberdeen. His coffin will be draped in a Saltire and put on a chartered flight from Ohrid Airport in North Macedonia. The private plane, paid for by Scottish businessman and philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter, is scheduled to depart at 10:00 BST land at Aberdeen Airport by 14:00 BST.

Mr Salmond’s body will return to the north east of Scotland, close to his home in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and the seats he represented at both Westminster and Holyrood, this afternoon. Plans are being put in place for a private family funeral along with a more public memorial service.

LONDON -- Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland’s independence from the U.K. and nearly accomplished it, has died. He was 69.

The former first minister died of a heart attack while attending a conference in North Macedonia.

The body of former Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond was repatriated on a plane flying from North Macedonia to Aberdeen International Airport on Friday afternoon. Salmond was speaking at the Academy of National Diplomacy conference in south east Europe just minutes before he suffered a serious heart attack.

Mr Salmond's wife Moira was sat inside a funeral car during the short ceremony at the airport. A small group of people with saltire flags had gathered near the terminal building ahead of the flight's arrival.