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| This TV grab taken on April 10, 2010 shows the crash site of a Tupolev Tu-154 plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski near the Smolensk airport in western Russia. (Xinhua Photo) |
MOSCOW / WARSAW, April 10 (Xinhua) -- A chartered plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski crashed near the Smolensk airport in western Russia Saturday, killing all 96 people on board, said Russian officials.
Earlier reports put the number of people on board the plane at 132, but Russia's Emergency Ministry later corrected it as 96. Among them, 88 belong to the Polish delegation.
Hours after the tragedy, the Polish government announced that the country will hold an early presidential election.
Polish Parliament speaker Bronislaw Komorowski would take over presidential duties according to the constitution. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has summoned an extraordinary Cabinet meeting in Warsaw.
The Tupolev Tu-154 flying from Warsaw to the Russia city of Smolensk also carried the president's wife, army chief of staff, Deputy Foreign Minsiter Andrzej Kremer and the central bank governor, said Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Piotr Pszkowski.
It crashed some 1.5 km from Smolensk airport in foggy weather and caught fire, Russia news agencies reported.
