R.I.P.: Polish President Lech Kaczynski and Wife Killed in Plane Crash

A nation in mourning: Thousands visit Warsaw's presidential palace in mourning of President Kaczynski's tragic death

The country of Poland is in mourning today after news that their president Lech Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynski were killed in a horrific plane crash alongside 97 other passengers in Russia. The plane reportedly was trying to land somewhere the city of Molensk, Russia when it crashed at 2:50 am EST. There were reportedly no survivors.

The 60-year old president and his wife were flying to Russia to attend the marking of the Katyn massacre's 70th anniversary. In 1940, 20,000 Polish prisoners of war were killed in the village during World War II. The president's attendance was a sign of decreasing tension between the two countries. The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin appeared together in Molensk to detail the accident. Russia is declaring Monday a national day of mourning in honor of President Kaczynski, and the Speaker of the Parliament Bronislaw Komorowski has taken over as acting president. Thousands have gathered at the presidential palace in the capital city of Warsaw to express their grief and condolences.

World leaders have expressed their condolences to the Polish people throughout the day, including US president Barack Obama, UK prime minister Gordon Brown, Queen Elizabeth II, Russian Dimitry Medvedev, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

There are currently no plans announced for a funeral.