Polish President Killed

The President of Poland, Lech Kaczyński of the conservative Law and Justice party, has been killed in a plane crash this morning, along with either 95 or 96 others, including his wife Maria. Details are in short supply, but it is known that the Polish Government plane, a Tu-154, crashed into trees just short of the runway at Smolensk North Airport on what appears to be an attempted landing. The President, who was on his way to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre, where Soviet troops massacred captured Poles, was likely the victim of crew error. The President’s plane, according to Polish sources, had been recently refurbished, so any problems were unlikely to have been mechanical. The black box has been recovered, and a full investigation is underway. Unconfirmed reports indicate that his pilot was instructed to divert to Moscow due to thick fog, but refused to comply, and crashed on the fourth landing attempt. The aircraft crashed at approximately 10:56 Moscow Time.

A list of notable individuals who were killed is below. Rest in peace.

Lech Kaczyński, President of Poland

Maria Kaczyńska, First Lady of Poland

Krystyna Bochenek, Deputy Speaker of the Senat

Vice Admiral Andrzej Karweta, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy of Poland

Przemysław Gosiewski, member of the Sejm/former Deputy Prime Minister

Janusz Kochanowski, Polish Ombudsman

Piotr Nurowski, President of the Polish Olympic Committee

General Franciszek Gągor, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army

Tadeusz Płoski, bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the Polish Army

Sławomir Skrzypek, President of the National Bank of Poland

Anna Walentynowicz

Ryszard Kaczorowski, President of the Polish Government-in-Exile (during the Soviet occupation)

Aleksander Szczygło, Head of the National Security Bureau

Multiple Members of the Sejm and Senat