Poland mourns as President, 96 others killed in plane crash

An ageing jet carrying Poland's President Lech Kaczynski and many of the state elite crashed in thick fog in Russia Saturday killing all 97 on board and plunging a nation into grief.

The Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-154 hit tree tops in fog as it approached the runway at Smolensk airport in western Russia and broke up in flames, regional governor Sergei Antufiev said.

The plane was taking Kaczynski and his wife, the military chief of staff and other top officers, central bank governor, Deputy Foreign Minister, Members of Parliament and other senior officials to a memorial ceremony for thousands of Polish troops massacred by Russian forces in World War II.

Late Saturday Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the President's identical twin brother and fellow politician Jaroslaw Kaczynski arrived at the crash site, where they met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who has vowed to quickly determine the cause of the tragedy.

Russia's Air Force Deputy Head Lieutenant General Alexander Alyoshin, pointed to possible pilot error, saying the crew repeatedly ignored instructions from air traffic controllers.

Wreckage, including the engines and a large chunk of mud-caked tailfin, was scattered across a forest and parts of it burned for more than an hour.

As well as killing the 60-year-old head of state, the crash devastated Poland's military leadership.

The 89 passengers included General Franciszek Gagor, chief of Poland's armed forces and the heads of all the main armed forces, as well as Central Bank Governor Slawomir Skrzypek, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer, Deputy Defence Minister Stanislaw Jerzy Komorowski, Kaczynski's wife Maria, and scores of lawmakers, historians and other officials.

Kaczynski and his delegation were travelling to Russia to attend a memorial service in the Katyn Forest, near Smolensk, for the 22,000 Polish officers and troops killed by Soviet troops 70 years ago. The event had been intended to help reconciliation between Poland and Russia.

Speculation Saturday focused on why the pilots had attempted to land the plane in thick fog.

Some 1.5 kilometres from the airport, air traffic controllers noticed the jet was below the scheduled gliding path, the Air Force Deputy Chief said.

"The head of the group ordered the crew to return to horizontal flight, and when the crew did not fulfil the instruction, ordered them several times to land at another airport," said Alyoshin.

"Nonetheless the crew continued to descend. Unfortunately this ended tragically," he added. AFP

President condoles tragic death of Polish Leader

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that it was with deep distress that he learnt the tragic demise of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynska and several others, including Members of the Parliament, members of the clergy and senior civilian and military officials in a plane crash.

President Rajapaksa in a condolence message to Acting Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said: "It is with deep distress that I learned the devastating news of the plane crash that led to the tragic demise of President of the Republic of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynska and several others, including Members of Parliament, members of the clergy and senior civilian and military officials.

The President played an important role in the entrenchment of democratic governance and the dawn of the post communist era in Poland.

His contribution to his nation that in turn also facilitated Poland's regaining her due place both in Europe and in the rest of the international community will long be remembered.

The Government and the people of Sri Lanka join me in conveying our heartfelt sorrow on this sad occasion to the Government and People of Poland and to the bereaved families."