It is agreed that HIV can't survive long outside of human body.
HIV in the Environment
Scientists and medical authorities agree that HIV does not survive
well in the environment, making the possibility of environmental
transmission remote. HIV is found in varying concentrations or amounts
in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, saliva, and tears. (See
below, Saliva, Tears, and Sweat.) In order to obtain data on the
survival of HIV, laboratory studies have required the use of
artificially high concentrations of laboratory-grown virus. Although
these unnatural concentrations of HIV can be kept alive under
precisely controlled and limited laboratory conditions, CDC studies
have showned that drying of even these high concentrations of HIV
reduces the number of infectious viruses by 90 to 99 percent within
several hours. Since the HIV concentrations used in laboratory studies
are much higher than those actually found in blood or other specimens,
drying of HIV- infected human blood or other body fluids reduces the
theoretical risk of environmental transmission to that which has been
observed--essentially zero.
Incorrect interpretation of conclusions drawn from laboratory
studies have alarmed people unnecessarily. Results from laboratory
studies should not be used to determine specific personal risk of
infection because 1) the amount of virus studied is not found in human
specimens or anyplace else in nature, and 2) no one has been
identified with HIV due to contact with an environmental surface;
Additionally, since HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host
(unlike many bacteria or fungi, which may do so under suitable
conditions), except under laboratory conditions, it does not spread or
maintain infectiousness outside its host.
HIV is sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and the presence of
oxygen. One place that HIV has been know to survive in is drug
injection syringes since these are airtight and often contain blood
from the injector.
Ref: http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhivinsite.ucsf.edu%2Finsite%3Fpage%3Dask-01-10-20&ei=ZKlcTp7HDc_SiALwsKyzBQ&usg=AFQjCNFsdcAGQGdcJYzXNFS9VFYnPJk0UQ
However, we can't say they are "outside" of the human body in the case you've mentioned.
What we know is that the organs were kept in low temperature, and concerning the effect of low temperature, take a look here:
How does temperature effect the survival of HIV?
HIV is very fragile and does not survive well outside the human body.
HIV is inactivated by heat and dies after 30 minutes at 56EC
(132.8EF). It is also highly susceptible to physical and chemical
agents.
If properly stored, HIV is very stable at low temperatures. It can
last 7-10 days at 4EC (39.2EF) and months to years at -70EC (-94EF).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stores purified
virus preparations in liquid nitrogen (-200EC or -328EF). In all
cases, the stability of HIV depends on the presence of the proper
concentration
Ref: http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/Health-problems/HIV.htm
I think it is the first chance for human to know the survival ability of HIV in corpse, as there are no report for such cases till now:
Although there have been no specific studies of HIV survival in
corpses before or after embalming, no instances of HIV transmission
have been reported from an exposure incurred in performing mortuary
services. The chemical germicides in embalming fluids have been tested
and found to completely inactivate HIV. CDC has also published
occupational infection control guidelines that apply to mortuary
workers, including embalmers.
Ref: http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/Health-problems/HIV.htm
