Polish widow defends general in presidential crash

Warsaw: The widow of the Polish air force
commander killed with President Lech Kaczynski and 94 others
in a plane crash last year is accusing Russian investigators
of unfairly vilifying her husband.

Russian investigators yesterday issued their final
report on the April 2010 crash, mostly blaming the Polish
pilots who attempted to land in heavy fog. They also faulted
air force commander Gen Andrzej Blasik for allegedly
pressuring the pilots.

The report said Blasik was in the cockpit minutes
before the crash in violation of safety rules and had enough
alcohol in his blood to impair his judgement.

His widow, Ewa Blasik, said today she didn`t believe
her husband had been drinking and accused Russia of defaming
him.

PTI