Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, his Wife, 95 High Ranking Officials Killed in Plane Crash in Russia

Relatives of Polish president plane crash victims arrive in Russia

20:1310/04/2010

MOSCOW, April 10, 2010 (RIA Novosti) -

Relatives of the people who died when a plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski crashed on Saturday in west Russia have begun arriving in Moscow.

All 97 people on board a Soviet-made Tu-154 carrying Kaczynski, his wife, and a delegation of senior officials were killed when it crashed while attempting to land in thick fog at an airport in Smolensk.

The plane was taking the president to a memorial ceremony for Polish officers killed by Soviet secret police in 1940.

"Relatives of those who perished in the disaster near Smolensk will arrive in Moscow on Saturday and Sunday at Sheremetevo airport," a representative of a disaster hotline told RIA Novosti.

The plane carrying the first relatives touched down at 8:05 p.m. (16:05 GMT).

Russia to hold day of mourning after Polish president's death

18:1210/04/2010

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced on Saturday a national day of mourning after President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and an official delegation of senior officials were killed in a plane crash in western Russia.

"On behalf of the Russian people, I express the deepest, most heartfelt condolences to the Polish people, and compassion and support to the relatives and friends of the victims," Medvedev said, addressing the Polish people.

"On Monday, April 12, Russia will hold a national day of mourning."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are currently on their way to the site of the crash.

The Soviet-made Tu-154 hit trees as it approached Smolensk airport in thick fog.

Kaczynski was on his way to a ceremony in Katyn to commemorate the memory of some 20,000 Polish officers killed by Soviet troops during World War Two.

GORKI, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

Polish president's body 'found' in crash wreckage - source

18:0510/04/2010

The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski may have been found in the wreckage of the plane that crashed earlier on Saturday in western Russia, a highly-placed police source told RIA Novosti.

Speaking from the scene of the clean-up operation, the source said however that "additional tests, including DNA," would be needed to identify many of the bodies.

All 97 people on board died when a plane carrying Kaczynski, his wife, and a delegation of senior officials crashed in thick fog while attempting to land at Smolensk airport.

Kaczynski was on his way to a ceremony in nearby Katyn to commemorate the memory of some 20,000 Polish officers killed by Soviet secret police during World War Two.

MOSCOW, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

Polish president's plane had 97 people on board - emergencies ministry (WRAPUP 3)

17:5210/04/2010

A total of 97 people died when a plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and a delegation of senior officials crashed in west Russia on Saturday, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said.

The ministry spokesperson also said that 8 of the dead were crew members.

In earlier reports, it was said that some 132 people were on board the plane.

Kaczynski was on his way to a ceremony in nearby Katyn to commemorate the memory of some 20,000 Polish officers killed by Soviet secret police during World War Two. The Soviet-made Tu-154 hit trees as it approached Smolensk airport in thick fog.

Russia's Rossiya-24 television aired footage of the crash scene, showing wreckage of the plane scattered across a field with the plane's wing sticking up.

The delegation also included the chief of the armed forces general staff and central bank head.

Investigation

The Russian Prosecutor General's investigations committee has opened an investigation into the crash.

"The investigation is looking into various theories...including unfavorable weather, human error, and technical malfunctions," it said in a statement.

Polish Foreign Ministry press secretary Petr Paszkowski said the plane crashed some 300-400 meters from the runway after catching the tops of surrounding trees. A Russian security source told RIA Novosti that "a mistake by the crew during landing maneuvers" is thought to have caused the crash.

However, Polish media said that air traffic controllers had advised the pilot not to attempt to land at the airport, suggesting that he turn around and head for Minsk, the capital of neighboring Belarus, as the military aerodrome lacked the necessary navigational equipment to receive planes in heavy fog.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to head a commission looking into the crash. Putin is currently on his way to the site of the disaster.

In Poland

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is also on his way to Smolensk.

In line with the constitution, parliamentary speaker Bronislaw Komorowski has become the acting president. He is expected to announce the date of fresh elections in 14 days.

Poland will observe seven days of national mourning, Komorowski said.

"We must all come together in the face of this massive national tragedy," he added. "Today, there is no left wing and no right wing - there is no difference. We all feel for the families of the dead," he said.

In Russia

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin have called the crash "a terrible tragedy."

Medvedev has also called for the Russian and Polish people to come together.

"In these difficult days a consolidation of peoples is very important to jointly to overcome the consequences of this terrible tragedy," a Kremlin statement quoted Medvedev as saying.

Russia will observe a day of national mourning over the crash on April 12.

Putin said that bodies of the crash victims would be transported for identification to the Russian capital.

He also called Tusk to express "his condolences to him personally and the entire Polish nation in regard to the tragic airplane crash near Smolensk," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Katyn claims more victims

"Katyn is claiming new victims," the head of the foreign relations committee in the Russian parliament's lower house, Konstantin Kosachyov, told RIA Novosti.

The 1940 massacre by the Soviet secret police of Polish officers taken prisoner by the Red Army when it invaded the country in the first days of World War Two is possibly the most painful page in relations between the two Slavic nations.

Earlier this month, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk jointly paid homage to the dead in the Katyn forest near Smolensk, the scene of the killings.

MOSCOW, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

Medvedev calls for Russian-Polish unity after Kaczynski's death

17:2210/04/2010

The Russian and Polish peoples should unite in the aftermath of the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash in western Russia earlier on Saturday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.

A Kremlin statement said Medvedev made the comment in a phone conversation with Poland's acting president, Bronislaw Komorowski.

"It was noted during the conversation that the loss is irreparable, but precisely in these difficult days a consolidation of peoples is very important to jointly to overcome the consequences of this terrible tragedy," a Kremlin statement quoted Medvedev as saying.

Medvedev also told the acting Polish leader that Russia would hold a thorough investigation into the crash.

Kaczynski was flying to Russia to take part in ceremonies honoring thousands of Polish officers taken prisoner by the Red Army during its invasion of Poland in the first days of World War Two and executed by Soviet secret police in Katyn forest near the city of Smolensk in 1940.

The legacy of the Katyn killings has strained modern Russian-Polish relations. But earlier this month, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk jointly took part in memorial ceremonies in Katyn in a sign that the two Slavic nations were attempting to put the event behind them.

MOSCOW, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

Air traffic control told Polish president's plane not to land - paper

Russian air traffic controllers advised the pilot of a plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski not to attempt to land, the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza said on Saturday.

All 96 people on board a Soviet-made Tu-154 were killed earlier on Saturday when the plane hit trees as it approached Smolensk airport in thick fog.

The paper said the pilot and Kaczynski were advised to turn around and head for Minsk, the capital of neighboring Belarus, as the Smolensk military aerodrome lacks the necessary navigational equipment to receive planes in heavy fog.

But the pilot and Kaczynski ignored the advice, the paper said.

Kaczynski, his wife, and a delegation of senior officials were on their way to a ceremony in Katyn to commemorate the memory of some 20,000 Polish officers killed by Soviet troops during World War Two.

KIEV, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

Air traffic control told Polish president's plane not to land - paper

16:5910/04/2010

Russian air traffic controllers advised the pilot of a plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski not to attempt to land, the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza said on Saturday.

All 96 people on board a Soviet-made Tu-154 were killed earlier on Saturday when the plane hit trees as it approached Smolensk airport in thick fog.

But the pilot and Kaczynski ignored the advice, the paper said.

KIEV, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

Week of mourning announced in Poland after president's death

Poland is to hold seven days of mourning after President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and an official delegation of senior officials were killed in a plane crash in western Russia.

"I have just signed a decision on the announcement of a national week of mourning," acting president and parliamentary speaker Bronislaw Komorowski said.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are currently on their way to the site of the crash.

The Soviet-made Tu-154 hit trees as it approached Smolensk airport in thick fog.

Kaczynski was on his way to a ceremony in nearby Katyn to commemorate the memory of some 20,000 Polish officers killed by Soviet secret police during World War Two.

WARSAW, April 10 (RIA Novosti)

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