Obama Skips Kaczynski Funeral Trip over Volcanic Ash Cloud

World | April 18, 2010, Sunday // 02:36|  views

The hearse with the coffins containing the bodies of the Presidential Couple, Lech Kaczynski (on the photo) and Maria, leaves the Presidential Palace on its way to the St. John Cathedral in Warsaw, Poland, 17 April 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

US President Barack Obama will not be able to attend Sunday’s funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski because of the air traffic disruption caused by the Iceland volcanic ash.

Obama says in a statement that he had talked to the Acting President of Poland, Bronislaw Komorowski in order to let him know that the volcanic ash cloud hindering air traffic over Europe will prevent him from attending the Kaczynski funeral which is scheduled for Sunday.

It was announced earlier that the UK Prince Charles is also calling off his attendance to the funeral of the late Polish President for the same reason as Obama as the volcanic ash cloud caused by an eruption in Iceland has brought European air traffic to a standstill with most Northern European states closing their airspace.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria Kaczynska perished on April 10 together with 94 other people, including many high-ranking Polish officials, as the Polish government plane Tu-154 crashed near Smolensk in Russia en route to the Katyn Massacre remembrance ceremonies.

Lech and Maria Kaczynski’s funeral is scheduled for Sunday. They will be buried in Krakow.

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Tags: Barack Obama, US President, Poland, funeral, Lech Kaczynski, Prince Charles, volcanic ash

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