Shane Warne's body arrives in Australia on private jet from Thailand
Shane Warne’s body arrives in Australia on millionaire businessman’s private jet as the nation prepares to farewell the sporting icon
- Body of cricket legend Shane Warne returned to Australia on Thursday night
- Family and friends were there to greet private jet at Essendon Airport at 8.40pm
- Millionaire businessman Terry Peabody owns charter plane flying Warne home
- An autopsy earlier this week confirmed cricketer died of suspected heart attack
- State funeral to be attended by 100,000 at Melbourne’s MCG on March 30
The body of Shane Warne has returned home to Melbourne in a private jet as Australia prepares to farewell a sporting icon.
The late cricket legend arrived home from Thailand on Thursday night, six days after his shock and sudden death from a suspected heart attack rocked the world.
Warne’s grieving family and friends, including his personal assistant Helen Nolan were waiting at Essendon Airport when the private plane touched down around 8.40pm.
The plane was seen on the tarmac heading towards hangar nine, which closed shortly afterwards so Warne’s body wasn’t removed from the plane in public view.
Fans were also at the airport to pay their respects to the late spin bowling legend, despite a heavy police presence.
A police helicopter hovered in the air for half an hour before and after the plane landed.
Warne, 52, was ferried home to Melbourne on a plane owned by one of millionaire Australian businessman Terry Peabody’s charter jets. Peabody, a former billionaire, is a prominent wine and waste management entrepreneur.
Thai authorities gave clearance for his body to be returned home this week after an autopsy report revealed Warne, 52, died of natural causes.
A private jet carrying the body of cricket legend Shane Warne touched down at Essendon Airport on Thursday night
Shane Warne’s PA Helen Nolan was seen looking emotional moments after the flight ended
The plane was parked in hangar nine, which then closed to ensure the private removal of Shane Warne’s body from the plane
The private jet carrying the body of Shane Warne landed at Essendon Airport shortly after 8.40pm on Thursday night
Bio security officials arrive at Essendon airport for the return of Shane Warne’s body to Australia after his death in Thailand
Warne’s body will either be collected by a funeral home or transported to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine for a second autopsy if the family requests one.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Warne’s coffin was draped in an Australian flag as the legendary cricketer began his final voyage home from Thailand, a journey that began before dawn.
Thai police were seen loading Warne’s casket into the back of a waiting ambulance, ahead of a nine-hour flight by private jet from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok.
Australian government officials, including Australia’s ambassador to Thailand, Allan McKinnon, were at Don Mueang Airport as the charter flight departed.
A commercial Qantas flight from Bangkok to Sydney was also considered, but would have involved a transfer to Melbourne and would not have arrived at a private hangar, Nine newspapers reported on Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also assisted Warne’s family with the return of his body to Australia.
Warne’s eldest daughter Brooke, 24, posted a heartbreaking tribute three hours before her father’s body arrived home.
‘Dad my heart is broken, This doesn’t feel real and doesn’t make sense that you are not here with us anymore, it doesn’t feel right, you were taken away too soon and life is so cruel,’ she captioned a snap of the pair from her childhood.
Her brother Jackson, 23, also shared a series of photos and videos with his dad.
‘Thankyou everyone for the overwhelming amount of support, messages and love,’ he wrote on Thursday night
There was a heavy police presence at Essendon Airport for the arrival of Shane Warne’s body on a private jet from Thailand
Shane Warne’s body will leave Essendon Airport with a police escort (pictured police cars at the airport)
The return of Warne’s body comes after friends and family gathered on Wednesday to discuss funeral arrangements.
A private memorial is expected to be held at the end of next week.
A state funeral will be held on March 30 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with as many of Warne’s fans as possible to be allowed to attend.
Many of Warne’s international celebrity pals are also expected to attend, including Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and singer Ed Sheeran.
The state memorial will be ticketed and live-streamed for those who can’t attend, with tickets to be made available to the public soon.
‘There’s nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the ‘G,’ Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters earlier this week.
‘There will be no limits on crowds and that sort of stuff. ‘It will be a very big event, it will be a celebration of his life as it should be.’
Around 100,000 people are expected to pack the MCG for the service, the scene of Warne’s famous Ashes hat-trick in 1994 and 700th Test wicket on Boxing Day in 2006 before retiring from international cricket.
Moving images of Shane Warne’s coffin draped with an Australian flag (pictured) have come as the legendary cricketer begins his final voyage home
A private jet carrying the coffin of the legendary cricketer has officially departed Don Mueang Airport and is scheduled to land in Melbourne at about 8pm on Thursday
CCTV captured Warne casually strolling through the villa holding several shirts after a visit to his favourite tailor just hours before he died of a shock heart attack
Shane Warne’s final steps were captured on CCTV in the luxury Sumujana Villas at about 1:30pm on Friday – just hours before he died of a sudden heart attack.
The legendary cricketer was seen holding several shirts following a visit to his favourite tailor in the Thai island town of Koh Samui.
Casually dressed in shorts, wearing a cap and holding his phone, Warne appeared at ease as he made his way through the foyer and back to his room for a relaxing massage and to watch the cricket from Pakistan.
The legendary cricketer’s body will be returned to his family in Melbourne on Thursday (pictured, Warne in Koh Samui)
The cricket legend was on a ‘boys trip’ at the luxury Samujana Villa resort in Koh Samui when he was found unresponsive in his room about 5pm local time.
It’s understood no diet medications or heart drugs were found in Warne’s hotel room at the time of his death.
Earlier pictures from the initial investigation revealed several blood spatters in the room around Warne’s bed.
Local police say the blood was due to lengthy and desperate CPR efforts, performed first by one of Warne’s mates and later by first responders.
The paramedic who first arrived on the scene described the sheer chaos as he tried to save Warne’s life with friends shouting ‘come on, Shane’ in the background.
Anuch Han-Iam said Warne’s frantic friends were already performing CPR when they arrived at the villa.
‘They were trying to bring him back to life… they were desperate. I think one was crying. Really stressed and panicked,’ he said earlier this week.
The homecoming comes after an autopsy earlier this week confirmed the cricketer had died of a heart attack on the Island of Koh Samui last Friday
Warnes’ close friends and family are expected to hold a private ceremony to farewell the sporting legend from as early as next week (pictured, Warne with his three children)
Fans have left tributes of VB cans, letters, cricket balls and even a jar of vegemite at the foot of the Shane Warne statue outside the MCG
Warne (pictured with his son Jackson and daughters Summer and Brooke) had been suffering heart troubles in the weeks leading up to his death
Warne (pictured in 2017) had completed a 14-day liquid only diet before the trip, described by his manager James Erskine as ‘extreme’ and ‘ridiculous’
Warne’s family reported he had been having heart troubles in the weeks leading up to his death, while it has also been noted he suffered from asthma.
He previously mentioned he had tried ‘traditional Chinese medicine’ to lose a few kilos with his family confirming he would complete ’30-day fasting tea diets’ as he his weight fluctuated throughout his career.
Warne had also completed a 14-day liquid only diet, described by his manager James Erskine as ‘extreme’ and ‘ridiculous’.
‘It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle, or he would be having black and green juices,’ he said.
‘He obviously smoked most of his life [but] I don’t know, I think it was just a massive heart attack. That’s what I think has happened.’
Countless fans have left tributes of flowers, cricket balls, VB cans and heartfelt letters at the base of the Shane Warne statue outside the MCG
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