USD students mourn loss of many vital polish leaders

“This is a phenomenal blow to the Polish Republic,” senior Ryan Mulvey said. “To have lost so many leaders, many who have fought to bring needed reform to the Polish government since the days of Solidarność, in a single plane crash is devastating. While I initially worried how the sheer shock of the event might linger, impeding any quick recovery, the people of Poland have once again shown their resilience and social cohesiveness in standing strong in a time of crisis. The hearts of all of us Polish-Americans, as well as others across Polonia and around the world go out to the citizens of Poland”
The United Front Multicultural Center said “We are sadden by the shocking news and we are open to collaborating with any student organization and/or student who would like to address the event.”
While the exact cause of the crash is unknown, Russian safety officials have been quick to emphasize that there is no evidence that Russia is in any way responsible for the tragedy. The plane, a Tupolev-154, had been refurbished and repaired last December, with a new engine and other parts replaced deeming it in good condition for flight. Alexei Gusev, general director of Aviakor Factory, the company that repaired the plane, said. “speaking openly, we believe that this tragedy could not have been caused by equipment failure.” The question then becomes, what caused the tragic accident?
The Polish president’s pilot was trying to land in heavy fog at the time the crash occurred. “The air traffic control officer gave several orders to divert but the plane continued with its descent,” Russian air force official Alexander Aleshin said. “Unfortunately this ended in tragedy.” Aleshin added that it is not abnormal for foreign planes to go against the advice of the Russian air traffic contro and that the ultimate decision is up to the crew on board.
It is speculated that Kaczynski could have been pressuring the pilot to land despite the weather warning. The president and his delegation had been traveling to Russia for the 70th anniversary of the Russian massacre of about 20,000 Poles during World War II. This crash now stands as the most devastating Polish tragedy since the massacre.
Only one thing about this crash is certain. The Polish people, along with the rest of the world, are in mourning. In Warsaw, Poland thousands upon thousands of candles and flowers lay outside of the Presidential Palace and hundreds of Poles lined the street to get a glimpse of the casket holding the president’s body. Across the country a two-minute moment of silence was observed in honor of their fallen leader, and delegates from around the world offered their condolences and regrets. Both Hilary Rodham Clinton and President Obama sent  their apologies to the country.
While it is Poland that feels this crisis the most, the rest of the world has not gone unaffected. San Diego’s Polish community gathered Saturday night to pay tribute to the country’s great leader. “This is the worst tragedy of huge scale, we have to live with it. There is not much we can do,” Tom Ostrowski, one of hundreds of local Polish-Americans living in San Diego, said of the accident.
Polish law states that elections must be held within the next 60 days, but until then Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski will act as the country’s president. Komorowski vows to work quickly to find replacements for the posts left vacant by Saturday’s tragedy, “The parliament should demonstrate unity in view of the national tragedy” he said.
General Stanislaw Marian Koziej has already been named head of the National Security Office, held by Aleksander Szcyzglo before Saturday’s tragedy. The move goes to prove that despite extreme devastation the Polish people are determined to move past this tragedy, if for no other reason than out of respect for their fallen leaders.