healthmedicinet

• Joep Lange, a Dutch HIV expert and former president of the International AIDS Society, was en route to AIDS2014
• Dr Lange was the father of five girls
  
• Other passengers on the plane include European researchers Martine de Schutter and Pim de Kuijer
• The Melbourne conference is due to held from July 20 to 25

By
Sally Lee

Published:
22:45 EST, 17 July 2014

|
Updated:
04:33 EST, 18 July 2014

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comments

As many as 100 passengers on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 were bound for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, it emerged today.

The disaster, which left 298 people dead, claimed the lives of some of the world’s leading experts in the battle against HIV and devastated their families, friends and colleagues.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, delegates arriving in Australia for the AIDS conference were told that 108 of their colleagues had perished.

Scroll down for video

Killed: Dr Joep Lange, a Dutch HIV researcher and former president of the International AIDS Society (left) and (right) Glenn Thomas, a British press officer for the World Health Organisation

It was tweeted that Pim de Kuijer (left) and Martine de Schutter (right) were on MH17, en route to AIDS2014 in Melbourne

Watch video

Dr Seema Yasmin tweeted that Dr Lange was on board MH17

Dr Seema Yasmin is based in the U.S. as a medical journalist

Yvette Fleming, manager of Stop Aids Now, tweeted there were other colleagues on board the flight with Dr Lange

or comment on this article

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Comments (47)

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The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Mark,

Huddersfield,

1 hour ago

Political mischief + commercial greed + depraved fanatics = tragedy waiting to happen. In many ways the whole flawed human race is to blame for this. Who among us actually does anything to make the World a better place? We stand and watch and pass judgment on everyone but ourselves, tomorrow we carry on as if nothing happened.

Ron,

Leeds,

2 hours ago

It always intrigues me why people are flying and to so many conferences which need people from around the Globe. Rather like our councils that have to go to the West Indies for global warming conferences.

sceptical,

Ware,

2 hours ago

100 or so ‘experts’ in the same field on the same flight was a bit stupid anyway surely?

Ben,

London UK,

2 hours ago

I have no proof but some horrible suspicion lurks in me that this was NOT a coincidence.

Robson and jerome,

Liverpool, United Kingdom,

2 hours ago

So sad . It’s a disgrace

Anon,

UK,

2 hours ago

Utterly sickening and heartbreaking that amazing people who sought to do so much for their fellow man have been murdered by the lowest of the low, people whose only contribution to the world is power crazed bloodlust and evil. The vast majority of us humans are decent people who want to live quietly and modestly in peace, we have to finally put a stop to the monster egoists who seek to rule us, the extreme religious loons who seek to impose twisted ideologies on us and the hugely greedy big businesses and people who just want to take every last thing for themselves.

dallas latham,

Oklahoma City, United States,

2 hours ago

This is the second airline disaster to rob the world of some of the leading minds in HIV research. The really sad thing is that this group probably had utilized the work of the previous group who died so tragically from an inboard air fire. Terrible loss to the sciences of molecular biology and virology and to the millions of people currently infected and their loved ones and sadder still those newly infected patients whose prospects for a healthier life may have suffered with the loss of these great minds

Stardrop,

Somewhere, United Kingdom,

2 hours ago

Thanks to advances in medical science many people can access the drugs that will keep them alive for many decades. It’s no longer a death sentence if you look after yourself.

Roaming,

Over the rainbow, Isle Of Man,

2 hours ago

RIP, wars are the humanity disease, and we never learn.

Ante Void,

London, United Kingdom,

2 hours ago

I say this to the people who caused this sickening disaster…look what your evil act has done! We don’t know who you are yet, but your mindless, vindictive uncaring act has wiped out the lives of so many good people. Educated people of so many nationalities who cared enough about their fellow man to invest their time and knowledge into helping fight disease and improving the lives of others. So many kind and committed Dutch people, Americans, British and Malaysian, and people of many other nationalities too. These people have achieved so much, and I’m sure would have gone on to achieve so much more for their fellow man. Contrast this with your petty and ignorant lust for war and destruction. You, the perpetrators of this disgraceful outrage, should hang your heads in shame rather than trying to blame others for this murder.

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