Support The Moscow Times!

Kaczynski Crash Data Handed to Poland

Russian investigators on Monday handed over to Poland copies of cockpit conversation recorders and other materials related to the probe into the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

Polish Interior Minister Jerzy Miller thanked Russian investigators for their cooperation but said Poland needed access to all documents related to the crash in order to conduct its own probe.

It was not immediately clear how much information remained to be handed over, but Russian officials said their probe was proceeding as quickly as possible.

The April 10 crash killed Kaczynski, his wife and 94 others outside Smolensk as their plane attempted to land in heavy fog. A preliminary report drew no conclusions about what caused the crash.

Investigators have said at least two passengers visited the plane's cockpit before it crashed and others may have chatted on cell phones, possibly affecting navigation.

Edmund Klich, Poland's envoy to the investigation, confirmed last week that one of two voices in the cockpit not belonging to a crew member was that of Polish Air Force commander Andrzej Blasik.

Klich said Blasik spent a few minutes in the cockpit and remained there until the end. "He wanted to know what the situation was," Klich said.

Klich said that psychologists were trying to determine if Blasik's presence in the cockpit pressured the pilots to attempt a risky landing.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more