News outlets report on the HIV/AIDS researchers and advocates who died in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

ABC News: Missile That Downed MH 17 ‘Ripped a Hole Through the Heart’ of AIDS Community
“…The day after Malaysia Airlines flight MH 17 was shot down in Ukraine, members of the tight-knit HIV/AIDS community are mourning the loss of … researchers, who were killed en route to the International AIDS Society conference in Melbourne, Australia…” (Mohney, 7/18).

Nature: HIV community reels from losses in MH17 plane tragedy
“A leading HIV researcher and at least five other delegates to a major AIDS conference are among the 298 people who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which crashed on 17 July…” (Butler/Moskvitch, 7/18).

Nature: Scientist killed on MH17 brought HIV therapy to the poor
“[Joep Lange, t]he Dutch clinical virologist — who was among the 298 passengers who died in the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight on 17 July, and one of many headed to the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia — worked since the early 1990s to deliver HIV drugs deep into the world’s poorest countries…” (Callaway, 7/18).

New York Times: Leading AIDS Researcher, ‘Always Traveling,’ Is Killed on His Way to a Conference
“…The disaster claimed the lives of a number of people headed to the International AIDS Conference, scheduled to begin on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia, the International AIDS Society said on Friday. Dr. Lange, 59, was accompanied by his partner, Jacqueline van Tongeren, 64. … The World Health Organization confirmed on Friday that Glenn Thomas, 49, a communications officer, had also been aboard the plane. So had Pim de Kuijer, 32, a Dutch AIDS activist and former European Commission diplomat…” (Erdbrink/McNeil, 7/18).

Science: HIV/AIDS field shocked by death of leading researcher in MH17 crash
“As thousands of researchers gathered here [Sunday] to attend the 20th International AIDS Conference, which starts Sunday, the usual joyous hugs of greeting between far-flung colleagues were replaced by hugs of sorrow at the loss of Dutch HIV scientist Joep Lange, a leading light in the field, and at least five others heading to the meeting who were on the Malaysian Airlines flight shot down over Ukraine on 17 July…” (Cohen/Enserink, 7/18).

Scientific American: Remembrances of AIDS and HIV Workers Killed in Shot-Down Plane
“…Some HIV health advocates were also reportedly among the dead who had been en route to the 20th International AIDS Conference in Australia. Obituaries and remembrances of these people are detailed below as a tribute to their work…” (Biello et al., 7/18).

Wall Street Journal: Six AIDS Experts Were on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
“For the 12,000 participants gathering for an international AIDS conference here, a candlelight vigil had been planned as an opportunity to remember millions of people around the world who died from HIV/AIDS. This year, the vigil on Tuesday will take on additional poignancy… (Stewart, 7/19).