9/11 terrorist attacks: The stories behind some of the most famous photographs
NEARLY 3,000 people were killed in America on September 11 2001, in what was the deadliest terror strike on US soil. In scenes which shocked the world, 19 Al-Qaeda suicide bombers hijacked four passengers jets, crashing them into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Many […]
NEARLY 3,000 people were killed in America on September 11 2001, in what was the deadliest terror strike on US soil.
In scenes which shocked the world, 19 Al-Qaeda suicide bombers hijacked four passengers jets, crashing them into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Many of the harrowing moments were caught on camera, in what have become some of the most iconic photographs in history. These are the stories behind some of them.
The Falling Man
This was taken by Richard Drew and it may be the most instantly recognisable picture taken on September 11 2001.
It shows a man falling from the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 9.41am. Many people who were trapped in the towers threw themselves out of windows as they realised they wouldn’t be able to make it out in time.
It was published in hundreds of newspapers, but some criticised it for being exploitative.
The person in the photograph has never been identified, but it’s thought he worked at the Windows of he World restaurant in the North Tower.
Richard told The Daily Beast of the shot: “For me, it’s a very quiet moment.
“It’s not a violent picture in any way.
“I think some people are turned off by this picture because it could be their fate.
“But it’s not a part of this man’s death, it’s a part of his life.”
Edward Fine, the dust man
Edward was about to get one of the lifts in the North Tower when the plane hit.
He thought a bomb had gone off, and was one of many who started rushing down the stairs to get out – he was on floor 79.
He made it out just as the second plane struck the South Tower, and this photo of him was taken by Stan Honda.
The shock on his face is obvious, with Edward later revealing there was just one thing on his mind when it was taken.
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“I was focused in on: I must get uptown, I must keep surviving, I must walk,” he said on The Today Show.
“And I wasn’t looking or thinking about anything other than surviving.”
Five years ago, Edward told The Mirror he felt he was saved for a reason. At the time he was a consultant for a company which created single-use syringes.
“My story is a very positive story,” he said.
“Once I got out I was never depressed. I think about how lucky I was. But I feel terrible for those who did not survive.”
Marcy Borders, the dust lady
Marcy was 28 and on the 81st floor of the North Tower when the plane crashed into it. She had just started a new job.
Like Edward her photo was taken by Stan Honda.
Marcy passed away last year at the age of 42, following a battle with stomach cancer.
She suffered with depression following the terrorist attack, and following her cancer diagnosis told The Jersey Journal she thought her illness might be linked to what happened.
“I’m saying to myself, ‘Did this thing ignite cancer cells in me?'” she said.
“I definitely believe it because I haven’t had any illnesses. I don’t have high blood pressure… high cholesterol, diabetes. How do you go from being healthy to waking up the next day with cancer.”
TIME magazine cover
This was taken by photographer Lyle Owerko, who had jetlag and was struggling to sleep when he heard the thundering noise of the first plane hitting the Twin Towers in 2001.
He went to see what was happening, taking his camera with him.
As he realised what had happened he began taking photos, and he was actually aiming his camera at people when he heard the noise of the next plane approaching.
He took the iconic photo just as the impact happened.
“When it hit I had no idea, but I thought something would occur,” he recalled.
“And when it hit, again it made this incredible beyond movie theatre sound.
“And then nothing happened for a second until this fireball of heat and debris erupted out of the backside of the building and that’s when I caught the cover shot.”