Geeze!!! What a tragedy.
The newsers are greedily accepting, reporting and pushing this was an accident. Very hasty conclusion considering the make and make up of the plane, the great responsibility of the Pilot and in advanced of any real investigation. Seems rather convenient.
The President of Poland and many cabinet members including the Chief of the Airforce, the Chief of the Army Staff, Commander of the Polish Navy, President of the National Bank, Head of the National Security Bureau, Secretary of State in the Office
What a target rich list.
The National leadership wiped out?
The Pilot carrying such important people arrogantly risked his life and those of the most important people of Poland by attempting to land even though Ground Control told them the airport is closed to traffic due to fog and directed them to Moscow or another city?
What pilot would do that and do so with the very important people on board. His and their safety is paramount.
The president, his wife and entourage were en-route to a memorial service for the victims of the Katyn massacre which, in 1940, saw thousands of Polish prisoners of war murdered (primarily military officers), intellectuals, policemen, and other public servants by the Soviet NKVD
That would not be embarrassing to Russia. No not all.
A former Soviet Pilot state commemorating the deaths of 20,000 of their own people at the hand of the Russians? Why not have a keg a party as well.
Poland watched in horror as the Russians, once again invaded another Soviet Pilot State, Georgia and desperately sought a missile defense system and membership in NATO for protection.
Russia and Obama fixed that little problem by having the missile defense scrapped to appease Russian demands that they not be deployed. Wonder why?
Killed:
The President: Lech Kaczynski. Part of the Solidarity Movement
His Wife: Maria Kaczynski
The National Bank President: Slawomir Skrzypek
The Army Chief of Staff: Gen. Franciszek Gagor
Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish Statesman and last President in exile during Solidarity
The Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremoer
Anna Walentynowicz, whose firing in August 1980 from the Lenin Shipyards in Gdansk sparked a workers' strike that spurred the eventual creation of the Solidarity freedom movement.
96 Souls lost aboard the President's Plane
The President: Lech Kaczynski. Part of the Solidarity Movement
His Wife: Maria Kaczynski
The National Bank President: Slawomir Skrzypek
The Army Chief of Staff: Gen. Franciszek Gagor
Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish Statesman and last President in exile during Solidarity
The Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremoer
* Andrzej Błasik, Chief of the Polish Air Force
* Krystyna Bochenek, Deputy Speaker of the Senatee
* Archbishop Miron Chodakowski, Orthodox Ordinary of the Polish Army
* Leszek Deptuła, member of the Sejm
* Grzegorz Dolniak, member of the Sejm
* Janina Fetlińska, member of the Senate
* General Franciszek Gągor, Chief of the Polish Army General Staff
* Grażyna Gęsicka, member of the Sejm
* Przemysław Gosiewski, member of the Sejm
* Mariusz Handzlik, Undersecretary of State in the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland
* Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, member of the Sejm
* Sebastian Karpiniuk, member of the Sejm
* Vice Admiral Andrzej Karweta, Commander-in-chief of the Polish Navy
* Janusz Kochanowski, Polish Ombudsman for Citizen Rights
* Janusz Kurtyka, Historian and president of the Institute of National Remembrance
* Aleksandra Natalli-Świat, member of the Sejm
* Piotr Nurowski, President of the Polish Olympic Committee
* Maciej Płażyński, President of the Polish Community Association
* Tadeusz Płoski, bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the Polish Army
* Krzysztof Putra, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm
* Andrzej Przewoźnik, Secretary-General of the Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom Sites
* Ryszard Rumianek, Rector of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University
* Arkadiusz Rybicki, member of the Sejm
* Sławomir Skrzypek, President of the National Bank of Poland
* Władysław Stasiak, Chief of the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland
* Aleksander Szczygło, head of the National Security Bureau
* Jerzy Szmajdziński, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm
* Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz, member of the Sejm
* Anna Walentynowicz, free trade union activist, member of Solidarity
* Zbigniew Wassermann, member of the Sejm
* Wiesław Woda, member of the Sejm
* Edward Wojtas, member of the Sejm
* Paweł Wypych, Secretary of State in the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland
* Stanisław Zając, member of the Senate
Andrzej Przewoźnik, Secretary-General of Rada Ochrony Pamięci Walk i Męczeństwa
and several members of the Sejm. Sławomir Skrzypek
The plane was refurbished and repaired last year, according to the general director of the company that performed the service. Alexei Gusev, the general director of Aviakor Factory, told CNN that the plane received major refurbishing and repair in December 2009.
Under contract with the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland, Aviacor completed the overhaul and modernization of the Tu-154M. In addition to the stages of major repairs on the plane, filled with a VIP-configuration, was upgraded interior, and also carried out major repairs of the four engines of the D 30 - KU.