Polish President killed in plane crash

Minder · April 10, 2010, 10:19:30 AM

Polish President Lech Kaczynski 'in plane crash'

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and scores of others are believed to have been killed in a plane crash in Russia.
Officials in the Smolensk region said no-one had survived after the plane apparently hit trees as it came in for landing in thick fog.
Several other government figures, including the army chief of staff, were also thought to have been on board.
They were in Russia to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre, when the Soviets killed thousands of Poles.
The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says the crash is a catastrophe for the Polish people.
He says Prime Minister Donald Tusk was reportedly in tears when he was told.
Plane 'hit trees'
The Russian emergencies ministry told Itar-Tass news agency the plane crashed at 1056 Moscow time (0656 GMT).
Ministry spokeswoman Irina Andrianova said it had been flying from Moscow to Smolensk, but had no details on the identities of those killed.
Smolensk regional governor Sergei Antufiev told Russian TV that no-one had survived.
"As it was preparing for landing, the Polish president's aircraft did not make it to the landing strip," he said.
"According to preliminary reports, it got caught up in the tops of trees, fell to the ground and broke up into pieces. There are no survivors in that crash.
"We are clarifying how many people there were in the [Polish] delegation. According to preliminary reports, 85 members of the delegation and the crew."
Russian investigators said there were a total of 132 people on the plane.
Controversial figure
The president was flying in a Tupolev 154, a plane that was designed in the 1960s and capable of carrying more than 100 passengers.
Our correspondent says there had been calls for Polish leaders to upgrade their planes.
As well as the president and his wife, Maria, a number of senior officials were also said to be on the passenger list.
They included the army chief of staff Gen Franciszek Gagor, central bank governor Slawomir Skrzypek and deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer.
Mr Kaczynski has been a controversial figure in Polish politics, advocating a right-wing Catholic agenda.
He has opposed rapid free-market reforms and favoured retaining social welfare programmes.

ziggysego · April 10, 2010, 01:33:54 PM

Heard about this on Twitter earlier. Awful news. RIP to all that lost their lives in this horrible accident.

Tony Baloney · April 10, 2010, 04:22:59 PM

Obviously big news if Minder is announcing his death outside the Death Notices thread. What are the conspiracy theories so far?

Minder · April 10, 2010, 04:50:42 PM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on April 10, 2010, 04:22:59 PM
Obviously big news if Minder is announcing his death outside the Death Notices thread. What are the conspiracy theories so far?

[/b]

Will I put a pole up ?

Tony Baloney · April 10, 2010, 07:54:02 PM

Quote from: Minder on April 10, 2010, 04:50:42 PM
Quote from: Tony Baloney on April 10, 2010, 04:22:59 PM
Obviously big news if Minder is announcing his death outside the Death Notices thread. What are the conspiracy theories so far?
[/b]

Will I put a pole up ?

Aye and throw a rope round it.

Capt Pat · April 10, 2010, 11:06:18 PM

It is a bit suspicious with such an important plane going down while going to comemorate the massacre of the leadership of the Polish army 70 years ago, now the current leadership is wiped out. Russia to invade Poland tomorrow to kick off world war 3. Ireland to go the noble route and sit this one out as well.

Ulick · April 11, 2010, 12:11:33 AM

Dunno about that but the Irish Air Corps should be investing in one of those Tupolevs if there's any still knocking around.

Ulick · April 24, 2010, 02:30:36 AM

Conspiracy theory already?

"Author of the video seen by everyone by now has been stabbed near Kijow on 4.15 and transported in critical condition to the hospital in Kijow. On 4.16 three unidentified individuals unplugged him from life support system and stabbed him 3 more times. Andrij was pronounced dead that afternoon. Russian government claims it was a coincidence."

Can't see much myself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxIFh3NkEvM

give her dixie · April 24, 2010, 03:42:22 AM

Was following this all right.
Saw the video last week, and read the news earlier about the fella getting killed who took the video.
I don't know what to make of it all, however, the conspiracy gang are on it as I type....

Hardy · April 24, 2010, 11:40:27 AM

Looksz lik gigantyczny pyl of crzap to mi.

It's brilliant - he just makes it up. I can't see any of the things he points out. "Look these peoples walking". What peoples? I didn't see any peoples. "Look this black guy - his fall down (same black guy jump from plane)". I don't see any guy and I certainly couldn't say what colour this non-existent falling down guy is.

What is he suggesting - that these people knew exactly where the plane would crash? The only other possibility is that they were on the plane and only they survived. Some assassination plot!

pintsofguinness · April 24, 2010, 12:19:11 PM

I can't find anything on an actual news site about the cameraman's death.

As for the video, there's another bystander in some of the shots, what's his story? He doesnt seem to have any response to gunshots?