No one survived the crash of the Tu-154 in the which Polish president was flying, said governor of the Smolensk region, Sergey Antufyev, reports INTERFAX.
'While approaching the airport the aircraft did not reach the landing strip. According to preliminary reports, it touched the tops of the trees, fell and broke apart' - he said.
The governor said also: 'According to preliminary information, the Polish president and other high-ranking officials were travelling to Katyn to participate in a memorial ceremony. In the aircraft there were 85 members of the delegation and the aircraft's crew'.
The following persons were among those in the aircraft: Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria Kaczynska, the last president-in-exile of Poland Ryszrad Kaczorowski, head of the Institute of National Remembrance Janusz Kurtyka, vice-speaker of the Polish Seim Jerzy Szmajdzinski, head of the president's office Wladyslaw Stasiak, head of the national security office Alexander Sciglo, ministers of the president's office Pawel Wypych and Mariusz Handzlik, general secretary of the Polish council for the preservation of the memory of struggle and martyrdom Andrzej Przywoznik, deputy head of the Polish Foreign Ministry Andrzej Kremer, head of the central headquarters of the Polish army František Gongor, president of the National Bank of Poland Slawomir Skrzypek, well-known deputies of the Polish Seim Przemyslaw Gosiewski, Zbignew Wasserman, Iolanta Szymantek-Deresz and Isabella Jaruga-Nowacka.
According to the investigation committee, there were 132 persons on board the aircraft, including Kaczynski and his wife, reports Reuters.
Russian president Dmitiy Medvedev was immediately informed of the crash, RIA NOVOSTI reported, citing the press service of the Kremlin.
Russian Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoygu was ordered to go immediately to the scene of the crash by Dmitri Medvedev. The president also created a special commission headed by Vladimir Putin to investigate the circumstances of the crash.
The official representative of the investigation committee, Vladimir Markin, also said that a possible reason for the tragedy had been the foggy weather.
10.04.2010
