Statement from Áras an Uachtaráin, Malaysian Aircraft, 19 July 2014
Date: Sat 19th Jul, 2014 | 13:57
President Higgins has issued the following statement of sympathy on behalf of the Irish people in response to the loss of 298 lives on the Malaysian plane brought down over Ukraine on Thursday.
The President said today, “I am greatly saddened by the loss of so many lives in the air crash in Ukraine on Thursday and I would like to convey the deepest sympathy of the Irish people to all the families and communities affected. I have written directly to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands to express the sympathy of the Irish people for the loss of so many Dutch citizens in this terrible disaster. I would also like to extend my condolences to the Mahady and Byrne families for their personal loss at the death of Edel Mahady who was a passenger on the flight and had been home visiting and caring for her mother.
The personal stories of those who have died are very moving, including those of the large number of passengers who were travelling to the international AIDS Conference in Melbourne. When confronted by the consequences of the failure to resolve conflict and violence, it is especially poignant to consider the selflessness and altruism of those who were giving their lives to the care of others and to the task of solving one of humanity’s and medicine’s greatest challenges.”