LONDON — The remains of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond were being transported back to Scotland on a private aircraft on Friday, nearly a week following his unexpected passing in North Macedonia.

A ceremonial trumpet sounded as his coffin, adorned with Scotland’s iconic blue-and-white Saltire flag, was carefully placed onto the plane at Ohrid airport in the southwestern part of the country, attended by six members of the North Macedonian military. The 69-year-old politician suffered a heart attack last Saturday while participating in a conference in the lakeside city.

The flight, which has been organized by Scottish entrepreneur Tom Hunter, is set to land in Aberdeen, located in northeastern Scotland. Arrangements are underway for both a private funeral for the family and a public memorial service to honor Salmond’s legacy.

Salmond played a pivotal role in the Scottish National Party (SNP) over a 15-year span, guiding Scotland close to independence from the United Kingdom during a referendum in 2014.

He transformed the SNP from a marginal party into a leading power in Scottish affairs and held the position of First Minister from 2007 until 2014. In the referendum, a majority of Scots chose to remain in the UK, with 55% opposing independence and 45% supporting it.

Following this outcome, Salmond stepped down and was succeeded by his close ally, Nicola Sturgeon. Their subsequent fallout would shape Scottish political discourse for many years to come.