Family members put flowers on the 9/11 Memorial during the commemoration ceremony on the 22nd anniversary on Monday.
Credit: PTI Photo
American citizens and leaders across the US Monday paid tributes and honoured the memories of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks as the US commemorates 22 years of the tragedy.
The victims of the 9/11 terror attacks were honoured during a solemn ceremony at the site of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in Lower Manhattan, where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre once stood and which were razed to the ground when two airlines hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists crashed into the towers, forever altering the Manhattan skyline on September 11, 2001.
Bells chimed and a moment of silence was observed at the exact time when tragedy struck across the US 22 years ago - at 8:46 am, the exact moment when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower, the first of the four attacks that occurred that morning. At 9:03 am United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower, at 9:37 am American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon near Washington DC, at 9:59 am the South Tower collapsed, 10:03 am United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania and at 10:28 am the North Tower fell.
'Today, we remember the 2,977 precious lives stolen from us on 9/11 and reflect on all that was lost in the fire and ash that September morning. The American story itself changed on this day 22 years ago. But what could not — and will not — change is the character of this nation,' President Joe Biden said in a post on platform X.
'September 11 is a day not only to remember, but a day of renewal and resolve for every American — in our devotion to this country, to the principles it embodies, to our democracy. That is what we owe one another. And what we owe future generations of Americans to come,' he said in another post.
Vice President Kamala Harris said America will never forget the 2,977 lives lost 22 years ago today at Ground Zero, Shanksville, and the Pentagon.
'We remain indebted to the heroic first responders, and our hearts are with the family members and friends who lost loved ones,' she said in a post on X.
At the memorial ceremony, relatives and friends read out the names of all the nearly 3,000 people who died in the terror attacks, paying homage to them, signifying the message that the victims will never be forgotten.
India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, paying his tributes, said in a post on platform X '9/11 continues to remind us of the threat that #terrorism poses to the world. India and the US are united in our resolve to fight against this menace #NeverForget #G20'.
His post was accompanied by a photograph of him paying tributes at the 9/11 Memorial site where the names of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks are inscribed into the Memorial’s bronze parapets.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said in a post '22 years ago, our nation was forever changed by a cowardly act of terror that took the lives of thousands of innocent Americans. New Yorkers are united in our grief for those we lost and our gratitude to the first responders and other heroes of that day. We will #neverforget.' New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, 'September 11, 2001. We bore witness to so much horror that day. But we also saw courage, bravery, and the New York City spirit. And when the sun rose on September 12, we got up. Because that’s what New Yorkers always do.' The New York Police Department said in a post on X 'Twenty-two years ago, our city was changed forever. The NYPD lost 23 members, @fdny lost 343 members, @PANYNJ lost 37 members, and we continue to lose more due to 9/11 illnesses.' Several commemoration events have been planned across the US to mark the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
The 9/11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance, honouring the 2,977 people killed in the terror attacks at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993, the memorial's website said.
The 9/11 Memorial is located at the site of the former World Trade Center complex and occupies approximately half of the 16-acre site. The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest man-made waterfalls in North America. The memorial was opened in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.