GENEVA / WHO MALAYSIAN AIRLINE DEATH

Colleagues and friends observed a minute's silence in the memory of Glenn Thomas, World Health Organization (WHO) communications officer and one of the 298 people who had perished when Malaysian Airline flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine. UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:58
• Production Date: 18 July 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; AIR TRANSPORT
• Geographic Subject: UKRAINE
• MAMS Id: 1139095

Description

STORY: GENEVA / WHO MALAYSIAN AIRLINE DEATH
TRT: 1.58
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 18 JULY 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Zoom out, exterior shot, Palais des Nations
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Gregory Hartl, WHO spokesman:
"It is with deep sadness that we have to inform you that WHO lost one of our colleagues on the Malaysian airline crash yesterday. Glenn Thomas, who worked with Fadela and me in the same team in the department of communications, was travelling to the international aids conference in Australia. His twin sister says he died doing what he loved. Glenn had been with WHO for more than a decade. He came to WHO from the BBC and spent many years providing communication support to the TV department. Since 2012, he had been working on the media team in the department of communications, regularly hosting press conferences and working with you here and with other journalists to promote the work of WHO. Glenn will be remembered for his ready laugh and his passion for public health. He will be greatly missed by those who had the opportunity to know him and work with him. He leaves behind his partner Claudio and his twin sister Tracy. Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues at this time."
3. UPSOUND (English) Corinne Momal Vanian "I would like to call for a minute of silence in remembrance."
4. Wide shot, journalists standing in minute of silence
5. Med shot, journalists standing in minute of silence
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gregory Hartl, Spokesman WHO spokesman:
" We were able to confirm that there were no other, as far as we know, UN staff on the flight. Yes, the conference is going ahead. Any loss of life is a terrible loss of life and something like this is just devastating. "
7. Wide shot, press room

Storyline

Among the 298 people who had perished in the crash of Malaysian Airline’s flight MH17 in east Ukraine was a World Health Organization (WHO) Communications Officer, Glenn Thomas.

The WHO spokesman was on his way to Australia to attend the international AIDS conference.

At the UN press briefing at the Palais des Nations today (18 Jul), where Glenn Thomas often briefed journalists on WHO's activities and global health issues, colleagues and friends observed a minute's silence in his memory.

WHO spokesman, Gregory Hartl said Glenn had been with WHO for more than a decade after with the BBC. He worked with the agency's television department and for the last two years, as a spokesman in the communications team.

Hartl said Glenn would be remembered for his ready laugh and his passion for public health and would be greatly missed by those who knew him and worked with him.

His twin sister Tracy said he died doing what he loved. He is survived by his sister and his partner, Claudio.

Replying to a question, Hartl said Glenn Thomas appeared to be the only UN staff member on the plane. Any loss of life is terrible and something like this is devastating, he added.