The family of a Scot who was one of five Britons killed in a plane crash in Libya have been told his body may be returned within days.

Thomas McNeilly, 44, from Coatbridge, was one of at least 17 people who died when the plane went down on its way to a petro-chemicals complex on Thursday.

During a visit to Mr McNeilly's grieving family in Dunottar Place on Saturday, Coatbridge and Chryston Labour MP Tom Clarke said every effort was being made to ensure his body was brought back promptly.

Mr Clarke said improved relations between Libya and the UK had helped the situation.

He said: "We now know that there is every prospect that Thomas's remains will be returned on Tuesday or on Thursday of this week."

"I have to say that the Libyan authorities, following new diplomatic relations between them and Britain have been incredibly helpful.

"We already have British experts over there and I've been in touch with them and with the Libyan desk of the Foreign Office and they too have been extremely helpful.

On Friday, Mr McNeilly's sister-in-law Jacqueline Walsh said the family were struggling to come to terms with his death.

Fighting back tears she said: "We're just in a state of disbelief."

She said the loss of Mr McNeilly, a welding engineer, was a stunning blow to the family and his wife Maureen was distraught.

The couple were married for 17 years and have three children Jonathan, 16, Julia, 14, and Beth, 12.

Jim Henry, Mr McNeilly's best man at his wedding, said: "We are feeling devastated and shocked."

The Belfast-built Shorts SD-360, which was carrying 41 people, ditched in the Mediterranean five miles from its destination at Marsa el Brega, a petrochemicals complex in northern Libya.

Swiss-based company

The plane was the last but one of a batch of 164 manufactured over a period of eight years and was delivered to the Swiss-based company Avisto in 1990.

A spokesman for Shorts confirmed the company had made the plane involved in the crash and has offered to help with investigations into the crash.

Ken Brundle, the vice president of Shorts, said: "We have offered assistance to Avisto, the operator, and also through the Foreign Office, to the Libyan government and to the accident investigation people so that we can assist in determining the cause of the accident."

He added: "The 360 has an excellent safety record and about 118 are still registered for operation."

According to Avisto, the aircraft had been leased to Sirte Oil Co in Libya to transport workers between its headquarters and various oil fields.

A Swiss official said shortly before Marsa el-Brega airport, the pilot reported that both engines had stopped working.

British air accident investigators are in Libya to assist the crash inquiry. They will examine the wreckage, the twin-engined plane's data recorders and radio messages for clues to the accident.