Normally, I don’t post a Virtual Front Page on Saturdays, so you may have missed this if you’ve been out of touch as I have the last few hours (just drove to the Augusta airport and back):
Polish President Lech Kaczynski dies in plane crash — President Lech Kaczynski and scores of other senior Polish figures have been killed in a plane crash in Russia.
Polish and Russian officials said no-one survived after the plane apparently hit trees as it approached Smolensk airport in thick fog.
Russian media reports said the pilots ignored advice from air traffic control to divert to another airport.
Poland’s army chief, central bank governor, MPs and leading historians were among more than 80 passengers.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the crash was the most tragic event of the country’s post-World War II history.
The Polish delegation was flying in from Warsaw to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre of thousands of Poles by Soviet forces during WWII.
The BBC’s Adam Easton, in Warsaw, says the crash is a catastrophe for the Polish people.
He says Prime Minister Tusk was reportedly in tears when he was told.
After an emergency meeting of ministers, Mr Tusk, who runs the day-to-day business of government, said a week of national mourning had been declared with two minutes of silence on Sunday at midday. …
“(just drove to the Augusta airport and back)” –I guess the Saluda airport would have been too much to add in to your “world wind” tour. You could have caught a meal at Shealy’s.
The irony of it all is such that one wouldn’t believe it in fiction—10% of the top leadership killed going to commemorate the massacre of Poles. Some peoples seem to have it extra tough.