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July 19, 2014

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100 delegates to global AIDS conference aboard flight

THE world’s AIDS community was in mourning yesterday following the news that as many as 100 passengers reportedly on the downed Malaysia Airlines plane were heading to Australia for a global conference on the epidemic.

Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur was due to connect with another flight to Melbourne.

The Sydney Morning Herald said up to 100 of those who died were delegates en route to Melbourne for the 20th International AIDS Conference, which is due to begin tomorrow.

The newspaper said 108 attendees and family members were killed, including prominent former International AIDS Society President Joep Lange.

Denis Napthine, the premier of Victoria state which is hosting the conference, said a “substantial” number of those attending were on the plane.

“It has been confirmed that a number of senior people who were coming out here — researchers, medical scientists, doctors, people who have been at the forefront of dealing with AIDS across the world — were on that flight,” he said.

The International AIDS Society confirmed that “a number of our colleagues and friends” were killed.

Held biannually, the global AIDS conference is a forum for highlighting developments in fighting the disease. It was this year also expected to channel anger about laws in Africa that stigmatize homosexuality.




 

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