DHAKA: A top Indian PR executive has sparked outrage after she reportedly sent a racist tweet shortly before boarding a plane to Africa.

The tweet, sent from the account of Justine Sacco, read, ‘Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!’

Sacco is the director of corporate communications at IAC, a company which owns a number of popular websites including OKCupid, The Daily Beast, Vimeo and Tinder.

The Twitter account has since been deleted after having no activity for a number of hours, supposedly while she was on the flight.

In response to the furore, IAC has removed Sacco’s details from its corporate website, but not commented on her employment status.

Many Twitter users have called on the company to fire Sacco following the comments, reports The Times of India.

‘This is an outrageous, offensive comment that does not reflect the views and values of IAC,’ the firm said in a statement on Friday.

‘Unfortunately, the employee in question is unreachable on an international flight, but this is a very serious matter and we are taking appropriate action.’

BDST: 1851 HRS, DEC 22, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor