Kaula Lumpur, July 18 (RHC)-- A Malaysia Airlines flight carrying 298 people has exploded and crashed in eastern Ukraine, killing everyone on board. U.S. and Ukrainian officials claim the Boeing 777 was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, but it is unclear who shot the missile.

The plane was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with passengers from at least 10 countries on board, including 173 Dutch nationals, 44 Malaysians and 27 Australians. The disaster may have dealt a lasting blow to the fight against HIV/AIDS. As many as 100 of the world’s leading AIDS researchers and advocates were reportedly on the plane en route to a conference in Australia, including the pioneering researcher and former president of the International AIDS Society, Joep Lange.