Polish President Dies in Plane Crash

[lollipopgirl]

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria were killed Friday when their jetliner crashed on approach to Smolensk airport in western Russia. At least 88 people were confirmed dead in the plane crash, although an exact figure is yet to be determined and there are conflicting reports as to how many people were on board. It is feared that as many as 132 people were on board the doomed plane.

The governor of the Russian region where the crash occurred said that nobody survived. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will head a commission to investigate the crash according to the Kremlin. For the immediate, pilot error has been blamed for the cause of the disaster. The pilot turned down the opportunity to land at an alternative runway due to heavy fog. The pilot made 4 attempts to land the plane before it crashed in woodland near the airport.

Right before impact the pilot accelerated the plane as he came into land and lost contact with air traffic control. The plane broke into pieces once it made contact with the trees. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called a meeting of his Cabinet and the national flag has been lowered to half-staff at the Presidential Palace, where Polish citizens were gathered to lay flowers and light candles. There were black ribbons posted along some of the windows in the Polish capital.

The Polish President and his wife were en route to attend a World War II memorial service. Also on board the plane were the head of the Polish army and the head of the Presidential Administration. The Polish Army Chief of Staff, National Bank President and Deputy Foreign Minister along with the families of high ranking officials were also on the passenger list.

http://viscosimedia.com/20100410179/news/world/polish-president-dies-in-plane-crash

This is so sad Its sad enough being the President AND his wife, but then add in all the other important people of Poland (in the last paragraph) who were in the crash, as well as the families and staff, there is so many people! Its shocking and devastating for Poland, my heart goes out to them

[Stirfry]

 

[Tuffty]

I have someone on Facebook who's convinced that the crash was a cover up to prevent an international incident, and that it never 'clipped trees' but Putin had ordered the sabotage of the plane due to the missile defence issue.

Anyway, this was actually quite shocking. R.I.P. to all involved.

[SomethingWild]

^I immediately thought of some sort of conspiracy too 

Whatever, very sad for everyone involved. Tragic event.

[reina's eyes]

Indications are the right wing president would have been ousted in elections later this year.

It's a bit reminiscent of the 1996 bad weather crash in croatia in which ron brown and other members of the us elite were killed in the culmination of a chain of incompetence and poor judgment. Anyone who travels much is particularly subject to such things, especially when there's pressure to meet a diplomatic schedule.

[daigong]

Whoa. That is pretty ridiculous, SO MANY gov't officials in one blow. My condolences to the Polish nation and community.

Hits pretty close to home, cuz I know a lot of Polish peeps. Fuck :/