Tributes have been paid to a former search-and-rescue hero who died when the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed over the Ukraine on Thursday.
Stephen Anderson has been named as one of the 298 passengers and crew who was killed when flight MH17 was brought down – apparently by pro-Russian rebels.
Mr Anderson, who grew up in Inverness, worked at RAF Lossiemouth for a decade.
His daughter, Jordan, still lives in Lossiemouth with his first wife, while his parents, Leslie and Rosalind, stay at Daviot, near Inverness.
His second wife, Joanna, is also understood to have family ties to the Elgin area.
Mr Anderson’s younger brother Kevin spoke of the family’s shock.
“It is one of those things you think will never happen to you – but it has,” he said.
“He and Joanna were back at Christmas and we had a great family Christmas together as we do every year.
“He was such a popular fellow, pretty much everyone in Elgin knew him and he and Joanna loved socialising there.
“He was always easy-going and smiling – nothing was ever a hassle. As a family we will miss him terribly.”
Mr Anderson moved to Malaysia four years ago to work for the Aberdeen-based oil company Maersk.
A spokesman for the firm said: “Stephen has left behind a beautiful daughter and a loving family.
“Stephen and his wife Joanna were together for 15 years and the whole family spent last Christmas together.
“It’s with great sadness that we received confirmation from Stephen’s family that he was on the passenger list and is presumed dead.
“Our thoughts go out to his family and to his colleagues onboard Maersk Deliverer.
“We will make every effort possible to support and assist family and colleagues.”
Mr Anderson, who also has a sister Lorraine, was one of 10 Britons killed as the flight passed over the Ukraine-Russia border after taking off from Amsterdam.
It is believed the jet was shot down by Russian-backed rebels who wrongly thought it belonged to the Ukrainian military.
Educated in Inverness at Holm Primary School and then Inverness Royal Academy, he spent more than 20 years in the RAF, including a decade at the Lossiemouth base.
He attended RAF Halton Technical College in Buckinghamshire, where he spent three years studying aircraft engineering.
He then worked as a mechanical trade manager at RAF Marham in Norfolk, where he was responsible for the maintenance of 10 fast jet aircrafts.
At RAF Lossiemouth he was employed as search and rescue senior controller, before being promoted to become the aircraft maintenance team leader in 2008.
After retiring from the forces in 2010, he moved to the state of Penang in Malaysia to take up a role as a hydraulic technician.
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond sent his sympathies to Mr Anderson’s family.
“On behalf of the Scottish Government and the people of Scotland, I extend my condolences to Mr Anderson’s family, and to the families of all of the victims who have died in this horrific event,” he said.