A private jet flew the body of Australian cricket superstar Shane Warne home to his native Melbourne Thursday, six days after his death at the age of 52 provoked shock and grief around the world. Carrying the cricketing great’s coffin wrapped in an Australian flag, a chartered Dassault Falcon 7X jet landed in the evening at Melbourne’s Essendon North airport after an eight-hour flight from Bangkok. His family is reportedly organising a private memorial. Warne, adored by fans as the “king of spin” who bamboozled opposing batters, will be honoured with a state memorial at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 30, with tickets open to the public.
The sporting legend’s body was found on March 4 at a luxury resort villa on the Thai island of Koh Samui. He was rushed to the Thai International Hospital Samui but despite medical efforts could not be revived.
An autopsy confirmed he had died of natural causes following a suspected heart attack.
Thai police reported that Warne’s father said the player had been suffering “chest pains” and had planned to return home for a check-up after the trip.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state memorial as a tribute to a larger-than-life man who has been a reference point in his home country for the past 30 years.
“There’s nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the ‘G’,” Andrews said.
Warne has been a big part of Australian life from his 1992 Test debut against India to his incisive commentary, now as much a part of the summer’s soundscape as kids laughing on the beach or the click of bat on ball.
