FIRST Minister Humza Yousaf has paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing in 1988.
Some 270 people lost their lives when PanAm flight 103 crashed out of the sky following the detonation of an explosive device on board.
Debris from the plane landed on the Dumfries and Galloway town, killing 11 residents.
Speaking on the 35th anniversary of the Lockerbie air disaster, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “On the anniversary of the terrible events of December 21, 1988 in Lockerbie, my thoughts and sympathies remain with all those who lost loved ones on board Pan Am Flight 103 and those in the town of Lockerbie.
“My thoughts are also with the emergency workers who responded in the immediate aftermath of the atrocity. Their rapid response along with the people of Lockerbie while facing extraordinary circumstances demonstrated extreme kindness and humanity in the face of such horrific events.
“While those lost on that night can never be replaced, and the events have had a lasting impact on the town, I know links were forged following the disaster between Lockerbie and other communities that continue to this day, including the Syracuse University scholarship programme with Lockerbie Academy.
“The strength and compassion that both the victims’ families and the community of Lockerbie have shown has created a legacy of friendship and ensured that the memory of those who died lives on.”
Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a Libyan national, was found guilty of 270 counts of murder on January 31, 2001, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in Scotland.
He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 and died in Libya in 2012.
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