What tragic accident killed the Polish president?”
SMOLENSK, Russia (AP) – An aging Russian airliner carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski and members of his country’s military, political and church elites crashed in thick fog Saturday as it took them to a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the slaughter of thousands of Polish military officers by Soviet secret police. Poles wept before their televisions, lowered flags to half-staff and taped black ribbons in their windows after hearing that the upper echelons of the establishment lay dead in woods a short drive from the site of the Katyn forest massacre, one of Poland’s greatest national traumas.
SMOLENSK, Russia (AP) – An aging Russian airliner carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski and members of his country’s military, political and church elites crashed in thick fog Saturday as it took them to a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the slaughter of thousands of Polish military officers by Soviet secret police. Poles wept before their televisions, lowered flags to half-staff and taped black ribbons in their windows after hearing that the upper echelons of the establishment lay dead in woods a short drive from the site of the Katyn forest massacre, one of Poland’s greatest national traumas. Thousands of people, many in tears, placed candles and flowers at the presidential palace in central Warsaw. Many called the crash Poland’s worst disaster since World War II. Twenty monks rang the Zygmunt bell at Krakow’s Wawel Cathedral – the burial spot of Polish kings – a tolling reserved for times of profound importance or grief. The crash also shocked Russia. Sensing the depth o
Just hours ago, it has been reported that President Lech Kaczynski, president of Poland died in a plane crash. As their plane approaches Smolensk airport in thick fog, it apparently hit the tress and authorities reported that no one survived. Poland’s army chief of staff Gen Franciszek Gagor, central bank governor Slawomir Skrzypek and deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremerd leading historians were among more than 80 passengers including the president’s wife, Maria The pilot has reported to have ignored the advice of the air traffic control to divert to other airport. This delegation has attended the anniversary of the Katyn massacre of thousands of Poles by Soviet forces during WWII.
