The World Health Organisation has also confirmed that one of its staff, Glenn Thomas, was on the flight.

"We are shocked and devastated by the loss. Glenn was a very dear colleague, completely dedicated to his work and the cause , a lovely person so much appreciated by all of us," spokesman Gottfried Hirnschall said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-18/aids-conference-delegates-among-mh17-victims/5606738

Glenn Thomas, a World Health Organization media relations coordinator, has died in the crash, according to Dr. Haileyesus Getahun, coordinator of the WHO's Global TB program, and Dr. Rachel Baggaley, of the HIV Department at the WHO.

Dr. Baggaley had just landed in Melbourne when she heard about the news. "I'm very shocked," she said. "I'm just devastated. He's a very close colleague whom I work with on a daily basis." She added: "He just had his birthday, he was going to plan all sorts of celebrations."

Several WHO staffers were on flights to the conference, and Dr. Baggaley said she is awaiting confirmation about who else was on flight 17.

An outpouring of grief has emerged on Twitter as conference attendees to the 20th international AIDS conference in Melbourne Australia learn of colleagues who may have been affected.

http://www.vox.com/2014/7/17/5913961/who-staffer-killed-in-mh17-en-route-to-aids-conference

A former BBC journalist who worked for the World Health Organisation is the first Briton who died in the Malaysia Airlines crash to be named.

Glenn Thomas is thought to have been among around 100 passengers on board MH17 travelling to Melbourne for the International AIDS Conference, due to begin on Sunday.

Mr Thomas, 49, from Blackpool, was a media relations coordinator for the World Health Organisation in Geneva, the Times reported.

Among the other delegates aboard the plane was Joep Lange, a leading AIDS researcher and former president of the International AIDS Society, which runs the conference.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10975350/MH17-victims-Former-BBC-journalist-is-first-Briton-named-in-Malaysia-Airlines-crash.html