Russian investigators could not confirm Poland’s claims that there was an explosion on board Polish ex-President Lech Kaczynski’s Tu-154M plane prior to a fatal crash in 2010.
The Investigative Committee Spokesperson, Svetlana Petrenko, made the announcement on Friday in Moscow.
“Russian investigators have no more questions about the cause of the crash. It was caused by multiple factors,’’ Petrenko said.
They included the plane crew’s failure to act in time and fly to an alternate airfield as well as the mistakes they made during the low-visibility landing, according to the spokeswoman.
“Therefore, Poland wants an additional examination of the plane’s debris, a request which we are prepared to fulfill within the framework of the close cooperation in this criminal investigation,’’ Petrenko stressed.
Polish investigators are expected to examine the plane’s debris in Smolensk on Sept. 3 to 7.
It will be their 12th visit to Russia.
In April, the Polish commission revisiting the investigation into the 2010 plane crash issued a report saying that it was caused by a mid-air explosion on the aircraft.
The commission also said on June 5 that it had found traces of explosives on the aircraft wreckage as well as on the body of one of the victims of the crash.
On April 10, 2010, a Polish jet carrying Kaczynski, his wife and officials crashed amid heavy fog as it attempted to land at an airfield near Smolensk.
All 96 people on board died in the crash. (Sputnik/NAN)
