Polish president’s plane crash: Most bodies hard to identify
April 12th, 2010 - 3:31 pm ICT by IANSMoscow/Warsaw, April 12 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Bodies of only 14 victims killed in the Polish president’s plane crash Saturday could be easily identified by relatives, the Polish health minister said.
The Soviet-made TU-154 carrying President Lech Kaczynski hit the top of trees as it attempted to land at a Smolensk airport in west Russia in thick fog Saturday morning, killing all 96 people on board the plane.
Polish Health Minister Ewa Kopacz, who is currently in Moscow, said another 20 bodies could be identified by forensic experts, while DNA testing would be necessary to confirm the identity of the rest of the victims.
The first plane with relatives of the victims arrived in Moscow Sunday and the second plane will fly to Russia Monday afternoon.
The relatives are expected to stay in Moscow for three to four days.
Russia will observe a day of national mourning for the victims of the crash Monday.
In Moscow, people have been bringing flowers and candles to the Polish embassy.
A military plane Sunday brought the body of Lech Kaczynski to Warsaw where it will lie in state for several days until the burial.
The Polish government has announced that public access to Kaczynski’s coffin at the presidential palace in Warsaw would be open Tuesday.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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