Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski died By Lady Palma

Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski died this morning in a plane crash in Russia. He __was on his way to__ the town of Smolensk to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre. This __was the killing of 22,000__ Polish officers by Soviet security forces near Smolensk during WWII. Dozens __of other high profile__ Polish officials also died in the air disaster, which no one survived. Among the __96 who lost their lives__ were Poland’s army chief, the governor of Poland’s central bank, politicians, bishops and leading historians. Details are emerging of the cause __of the crash.__ Safety officials believe it might have been due to human error. The plane hit trees in thick fog __as it approached__ the airport’s runway.

The crash __has caused great anguish__ in Poland. One comment on Twitter by a Polish woman said it was the biggest disaster for Poland in the past 50 years. Another tweeter said Poland __is now facing its worst__ political crisis __since it escaped from__ communism in 1989. Two dozen of the country’s top politicians were __on board the plane.__ The BBC's Adam Easton, reporting from Warsaw, said the crash was a catastrophe for the Polish people. He reported that Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk was in tears at the __news of the tragedy.__ British leader Gordon Brown said the whole world was “saddened”. The country must now announce a presidential election in the next two weeks. The poll __will take place__ within two months of the announcement.