All flags at the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast have been lowered to half-mast as a sign of mourning announced in Poland. The President of Poland Mr Lech Kaczyński, his wife, senior figures of the Polish world of the military, politics and many others - altogether 88 persons and 8 members of the crew - died in a plane crash while approaching the airfield in Smoleńsk, Russia.
The tragic event took place on Saturday, 10 April 2010, at 8:56 Polish time. No-one who was on board of the TU-154 M plane managed to survive the crash.
The Polish delegation had been travelling to Russia to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the massacre of Poles in the village of Katyń during the Second World War.
Poland declared one week's mourning. Tomorrow at noon two minutes of silence will be held to pay a tribute to all tragically died.
All members of the Headquarters join the state of mourning and express their sincere condolences.
