The flight departed from Kathmandu, Nepal, at 11.30pm last night.

The former Kedah civil defence force chief’s remains will depart for Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, via flight MH2646 at 11.35am and is expected to land at 2.15pm.

More than 70 civil defence force personnel paid their last respects to the deceased at the KLIA cargo complex. It was followed by a Yasin recital and tahlil.

Also in attendance were the Raja Muda of Kedah Tengku Sarafuddin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin and Che Puan Muda Zaheeda Mohamad Ariff.

Yesterday, Sabah, Sarawak affairs and special functions minister Armizan Ali said Awang Askandar’s remains would be taken to his family house in Kampung Benoni, Papar. It will then be taken to the As-Salam Benoni Mosque for funeral prayers.

His remains will be buried at the Kampung Benoni Muslim cemetery and accorded full civil defence force honours during the burial.

Awang Askandar, 56, was reported to have fallen when making the final ascent at 8,000m and was pronounced dead while being treated at Camp 4.

During the mishap, Awang Askandar was with fellow climber Hawari Hashim, 33, and would have needed only 20 minutes to reach the peak.

The hearing-impaired Hawari was reported missing after reaching the summit. Search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing.