Alexander Lebed's Death in Siberia - 2002-04-28

Alexander Lebed, a populist politician in Russia and former presidential candidate, died in a helicopter crash in Siberia. Reports indicate that the 52-year-old governor of Krasnoyarsk was en route to inaugurate a new ski slope and recreational complex when the helicopter he was on collided with power lines due to poor weather conditions and crashed near the city of Abakan, 3400 kilometers from Moscow. According to the Siberian Minister of Emergency Situations, Mr. Lebed succumbed to injuries sustained in the helicopter crash at the hospital. The helicopter had 19 passengers, 7 of whom, including Mr. Lebed, were killed, while 12 others, some in critical condition, were hospitalized. Mr. Lebed, a former army general, ran for the presidency in 1996 but lost to Boris Yeltsin. Two years later, he was elected governor of Krasnoyarsk. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and other officials have expressed condolences to the families of Mr. Lebed and the other victims of this incident. Mr. Putin has sent the Russian Minister of Emergency Situations to lead an investigation at the crash site.