Plane crashes in Smolensk, killing Polish President and 95 others

An airliner carrying Poland's President Lech Kaczynski and 95 other people crashed on 10 April 2010 near the Russian city of Smolensk. There were no survivors.

The aircraft was carrying a government delegation that included Ryszard Kaczorowski, the former President of Poland's London-based government-in-exile, Slawomir Skrzypek, the central bank governor, Jerzy Szmajdzinski, the presidential candidate of the left-wing Democratic Left Alliance, as well as the senior commanders of Poland's ground, air, naval and special forces, bishops, and other dignitaries.

They were flying to Russia to take part in commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the killing of 20,000 Polish officers by the Soviets in 1940. The best-known murder site, Katyn, where 4,000 Poles were killed, lies just outside Smolensk.

'We stand humbly in the face of fate, which decided in an unfathomable way to link this place with another national tragedy,' said Bronislaw Komorowski, the speaker of Poland's parliament, who took over Mr Kaczynski's duties, as the Polish constitution dictates.

BBC News, 11.4.10: Poland holds stribute for dead President Lech Kaczynski http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8614021.stm

BBC News, 10.4.10: In quotes: Reaction to plane crash http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8613176.stm

Deutsche Welle, 11.4.10: Poland mourns president, officials killed in crash http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5454040,00.html

France24, 11.4.10: Poles mourn President killed in plane crash http://www.france24.com/en/20100410-poles-mourn-president-killed-plane-crash

Polskie Radio, 11.4.10: Warsaw gathers outside Presidential Palace http://www.thenews.pl/national/artykul129259_warsaw-gathers-outside-presidential-palace.html

Polskie Radio, 10.4.10: President Kaczynski dies in plane crash http://www.thenews.pl/national/artykul129153_president-kaczynski-dies-in-plane-crash.html

Spiegel Online International, 10.4.10: The Tragic End of Kaczynski's National Mission http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,688298,00.html

ESO: Background information: Russia is in denial as it rewrites Katyn history http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-is-in-denial-as-it-rewrites-katyn-history/

European Union: Press Release A55/10: Statement by European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Polish plane crash http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/113681.pdf

European Council: Press Release, PCE66/10: Statement by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, on the death of President Kaczyński http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/113682.pdf

European Commission: Press Release: IP/10/413: Statement by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/413&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Parliament: President: Press Release, 10.04.10: Statement by Professor Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament on the tragic plane catastrophe http://www.europarl.europa.eu/former_ep_presidents/president-buzek/en/press/press_release/2010/2010-April/press_release-2010-April-4.html

ESO: Background information: Central bank chief death unlikely to affect policy http://www.europeansources.info/record/central-bank-chief-death-unlikely-to-affect-policy/

Gazeta Wyborcza, 12.4.10: Poland and Russia reconciled? (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/228751-poland-and-russia-reconciled

EurActiv, 10.04.10: Poland ‘stricken by second Katyn tragedy’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/poland-stricken-by-second-katyn-tragedy/

BBC News, 12.4.10: Poles to pay tribute to lost President Lech Kaczynski http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8614685.stm

PressEurop, 12.4.10: The test for Poland http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/editorial/229551-test-poland

European Ombudsman: Press Release, No.13, 2010: Statement by P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, European Ombudsman, on the death of Janusz Kochanowski, the Polish Ombudsman http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=EO/10/13&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

BBC News, 12.4.10: Poland to review travel rules after deadly air crash http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8615872.stm

Polskie Radio, 12.4.10: Bad weather, faulty plane, pilot error? http://www.thenews.pl/national/artykul129345_bad-weather--faulty-plane--pilot-error.html

Council of Europe: Press Release, No.301, 2010: Secretary General Jagland expresses deep sorrow following Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s tragic death https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=PR301(2010)&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=DC&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE

Poland: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Presidential Plane Crash, April 2010 http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/news/aktualnosc_34927

Polskie Radio, 15.4.10: Krakow burial divides Poles http://www.thenews.pl/national/artykul129577_krakow-burial-divides-poles.html

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