SYDNEY -- Organisers for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia, confirmed on Saturday six colleagues died when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in Ukraine airspace.
The people who died when the plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine have been confirmed as:
- Pim de Kuijer, STOP AIDS NOW!
- Joep Lange, co-director of the HIV Netherlands Australia Research Collaboration (HIV-NAT)
- Jacqueline van Tongeren, of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development
- Lucie van Mens, director, AIDS Action Europe
- Maria Adriana de Schutter, AIDS Action Europe
- Glenn Thomas, World Health Organisation
RIP Joep Lange; Jacqueline van Tageren; Lucie van Mens; Martine de Schutter; Pim de Kuijer; and Glenn Raymond Thomas pic.twitter.com/HGEUA2ZrDu— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) July 18, 2014
Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, the conference co-chair and a Nobel Prize winning AIDS researcher, said it is devastating for the community.
"The extent of our loss is hard to comprehend or express," she said in a statement. "We grieve alongside all of those throughout the world who have lost friends and family in this senseless tragedy."
Executive Director of the International AIDS Society, Owen Ryan, said their lost colleagues will be remembered fondly.
"Our colleagues were traveling because of their dedication to bringing an end to AIDS," he said. "We will honour their commitment and keep them in our hearts as we begin our program on Sunday."
Earlier media reports said as many as 100 researchers, activists and medical personnel who were headed to the conference in Melbourne, Australia, perished in the crash. Although the currently confirmed number may rise, the society dismissed a death toll near 100.
Flight MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down in Ukrainian airspace near the Russian border early Friday morning AEST. There were 298 people on board from at least nine nations.
The flight was to connect with a Malaysia Airlines flight expected to arrive in Melbourne Friday night.
Many of the people reported killed were some of the most influential in the AIDS industry including World Health Organisation (WHO) staff and HIV researchers.
We lost one of our colleagues, Glenn Thomas, on the Malaysian Airlines #MH17 that crashed yesterday. He will be greatly missed #RIPGlennWHO
— WHO (@WHO) July 18, 2014
The community is in mourning, as many empty chairs are expected at the conference which begins on Sunday.
The International AIDS Society released a statement, as its members struggled to come to terms with the enormous loss:
At this incredibly sad and sensitive time the IAS stands with our international family and sends condolences to the loved ones of those who have been lost to this tragedy.
The IAS is hearing unconfirmed reports that some of our friends and colleagues were on board the flight and if that is the case this is a truly sad day.
Former International AIDS Society president and Dutch AIDS researcher Joep Lange, who was on board, had been working with people with HIV for 30 years.
Spokesperson Michael Kessler at a press conference the HIV AIDS movement had "truly lost a giant".
Lange was the father of five girls. His partner Jacqueline van Tongeren was also reportedly on board the flight.
What a HUGE loss to the world. Just learned that dear friend, amazing father to 5 girls and veteran AIDS researcher Joep Lange was on #MH17
— Dr. Seema Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) July 17, 2014
I asked him why he worked so much. He said "Do you know how much it costs to buy shoes for 5 girls?" He was a kind man &a true humanitarian.
— Dr. Seema Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) July 17, 2014
Health researcher Clive Aspin told The Sydney Morning Herald the news had hit the community hard.
"It's going to be a very sombre mood at the conference in Melbourne, especially for those of us who have been coming to these conferences for many years," he said.
A coordinator of WHO's TB program, Dr Haileyesus Getahun, confirmed on Twitter his friend and colleague, media relations coordinator Glenn Thomas, had also died on the flight.
Saddened to learn that my friend and @WHO staff who was traveling to @AIDS_conference to Melbourne was on flight #MH17. RIP #Glenn Thomas
— Haileyesus Getahun (@haileygetahun) July 17, 2014
Glenn was a great guy & will be missed. MT @ezraklein: A @WHO staffer killed on #MH17 en route to AIDS conf: http://t.co/uwZQ2DrLLo”
— Nicole Schiegg (@NicSchiegg) July 17, 2014
Social media has been overwhelmed by shocked messages from friends, colleagues and the general public.
‘‘How do we measure how much a person has done for humanity? People like Joep change the course of epidemics.’’ http://t.co/5bGFBobYUA
— Amelia Lester (@ThatAmelia) July 18, 2014
How many more innocent people will die due to the loss of 100 brilliant minds? Just awful http://t.co/TfW5a1tmsX #mh17 #AIDS2014
— Bevan Shields (@bevanshields85) July 18, 2014
“Joep... would always bring a fresh view... he never accepted that something was impossible.” #AIDS2014 #MH17 http://t.co/Rd04G1pYlQ
— The Conversation (@ConversationEDU) July 18, 2014
HIV researcher Joep Lange is apparently confirmed dead following #MH17. Absolutely heartbroken. I spent time with him this summer in Zambia.
— Chelsea Polis, PhD (@cbpolis) July 17, 2014
I'm scared to ask who was traveling with Joep on #MH17 to attend the International AIDS Conference. Such a sad, sad day.
— Dr. Seema Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) July 17, 2014
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said there were varying figures of the number of passengers travelling to the Melbourne AIDS conference.
"The exact number is not yet known, but there is no doubt it was a substantial number," he said.
The Victorian government has offered their assistance and condolences to the society.