Joep Lange was on his way to AIDS2014 which was to be held in Melbourne from July 20 to 25
He is believed to be a father to five girls
Dr Joep Lange, a Dutch HIV researcher
A leading HIV researcher from the Netherlands was reportedly among the 295 passengers on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 that was shot down on the Russian-Ukraine border.
Joep Lange was en route to 20th International AIDS Conference, AIDS2014, which was to be held in Melbourne from July 20 to 25.
Dr Lange was one of several European researchers believed to be on the flight and heading to the Melbourne conference.
Organisers for AIDS2014 have not returned calls seeking confirmation.
But friends and colleagues of Dr Lange, who is believed to be a father to five girls, have taken to social media to express condolence messages.
U.S doctor Seema Yasmin described him as ‘a kind man and a true humanitarian’.
She posted a series of tweets dedicated to Dr Lange, who was the former president of the International AIDS Society.
‘I find out someone I’ve known at least half my life was on the plane. #MH17,’ she wrote.
‘How do we measure how much a person has done for humanity? People like Joep change the course of epidemics.’
Sciene journalist Martin Enserink wrote: ‘There are reports that Joep Lange, a veteran #HIV/AIDS researcher from the Netherlands, was aboard MH17, en route to AIDS2014 in Melbourne.’
Yvette Fleming, manager of Stop Aids Now, tweeted there were other colleagues on board the flight with Dr Lange.
‘In shock! Lucie van Mens, Martine de Schutter, Pim de Kuijer, Joep Lange and Jacqueline van Tongeren never arrived in Melbourne!’ she wrote.
Former US President Bill Clinton is one of the speakers at the conference, along with musician activist Sir Bob Geldolf and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.
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
Source: DailyMail