New Smolensk evidence unearthed

This could be a new phase in the investigation of the airplane crash which killed all 96 people aboard, including then president Lech Kaczyński.

Poland’s RMF FM has reported on a new phase of the investigation which has managed to decipher as much as a third more of the conversation in the cockpit than had been known since the 2010 crash.

The new material indicates that the Air Force Commander was in the cockpit until the very end. It is now believed that it was he who said “The fact is that we have to try until we succeed,” and instilled unnecessary pressure on the military pilots of the plane.

The new transcripts also show that for up to 20 minutes before the fateful crash, the pilots made as many as seven attempts to silence someone inside (or just outside) the cockpit of the Soviet-era Tupolev.

These ranged from “Shh”, and “be quiet” to “F***. Stop it, please.”

Other evidence which has recently surfaced says that alcoholic beverages including beer were handed out in the main cabin of the plane, despite the early schedule of the flight.

Such alcohol could have caused some people to overstep their authority and additionally stress the pilots who were trying to land the aircraft in foggy conditions.

A ceremony will be held on Friday – the five-year anniversary of the crash. (rg)

Source: Newsweek Polska