A recent report surfacing regarding downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 reveals that the plane carried more than 100 delegates headed to the 20^th International Aids Conference which was due to begin Sunday in Melbourne, Australia.

More than 100 AIDS activists, researchers, and health workers reportedly boarded the plane although the exact number and identity of the victims remains unconfirmed by both the conference and airline officials.

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According to reports, Joep Lange was among the passengers on the flight. Lange was a researcher from the Netherlands who specialized in HIV therapy.

Lange was also the former president of the International Aids society and headed the Department of Global Health at the University of Amsterdam in the days leading up to his death.

The researcher played a pivotal role in researching antiretroviral therapy to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of the HIV virus.

Researchers, activists, and colleagues took to Twitter in the aftermath to express their condolences over the death of Lange and several other key figures in Aids and HIV research.

"How do we measure how much a person has done for humanity? People like Joep change the course of epidemics." Dr. Seema Yasmin tweeted about Lange.

It is believed that World Health Organization spokesman Glenn Raymond Thomas, Aids activist Pim de Kuijer, and a score of other delegates were also on board MH17.

The International Aids Conference released a statement regarding the tragedy expressing condolences and, upon hearing of the death of Joep Lange, stated that the "HIV/AIDS movement has truly lost a giant."

The city of Melbourne released its own tweet saying:

"Our thoughts are with all the victims and families of those on board #MH17, including those reportedly heading to Melbourne for #AIDS2014."

The conference will continue underway with keynote speakers such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton slotted to take the stage.

TagsMalaysia Airlines, joep lange, mh17 aids conference