Air Force tragedy

A Polish Air Force CASA C-295M transport aircraft (like the one above, photographed over our house on 21 April 2007) crashed yesterday evening while coming into land at Mirosławiec north-west Poland, two hours after taking off from Okęcie airport. All 20 men on board were killed - four Air Force crew and 16 high- and mid-ranking army officers. (ARRGH! What's the Standard Operating Procedure in the Polish Air Force?) This is the first ever crash involving this type. When I heard the first breaking news story on the radio, I was certain that the 'transport plane' that crashed would have been an elderly Antonov An-26, and was very surprised to hear later that it was indeed a CASA. Cause as yet unknown, black box recovered. A period of official mourning has been announced.

Click here for official Polish Air Force communique (in Polish).

CZEŚĆ ICH PAMIĘĆI