9/11 Attacks Timeline, Response, and Aftermath: Key Takeaways

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, four commercial airplanes were hijacked and used as weapons in a coordinated terrorist attack against the United States. This unprecedented event, watched live globally, targeted symbols of American capitalism and military power: the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

The Unfolding Tragedy: Minute by Minute

The day began as a beautiful, sunny Tuesday in New York and Washington, with temperatures in the low 80s. News headlines were dominated by Michael Jordan's return to basketball, and President George W. Bush was in Florida promoting a new reading program.

Early Morning: Hijackers Board Flights

At Boston Logan International Airport, at 6:45 a.m., Mohamed Atta and Abdul Aziz al-Omari, along with Wail and Waleed al-Shehri and Satam al-Suqami, checked in for American Airlines Flight 11, bound for Los Angeles. Three of them were flagged by security, and their luggage was held, but they were allowed to board.

At 7:10 a.m., five men checked in for United Airlines Flight 175, also destined for Los Angeles. They appeared uneasy and confused, but security procedures, which primarily focused on luggage for bombs, found nothing suspicious.

Minutes later, at Washington Dulles International Airport, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, known to the CIA for al-Qaeda links (though this information wasn't shared with civil aviation security), checked in for American Airlines Flight 77. They were joined by three accomplices and boarded the flight to Los Angeles.

Between 7:00 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. at Newark Liberty International Airport, four more terrorists arrived for United Airlines Flight 93, heading to San Francisco. One underwent additional screening, and his luggage was searched for explosives before being loaded.

Despite more than half of the 19 terrorists raising suspicions, no one connected the dots, and all were allowed to board. Most took seats in business and first class, close to the cockpits.

The Attacks Begin

• 7:59 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 11 took off from Boston.
• 8:18 a.m.: Betty Ong, a flight attendant on AA Flight 11, called American Airlines Reservations, reporting that the cockpit was unresponsive, someone had been stabbed in business class, and mace or something similar was making it hard to breathe.
• Shortly after: American Airlines Flight 77 took off from Washington.
• 8:24 a.m.: Mohamed Atta, from the cockpit of AA Flight 11, accidentally broadcast his announcement to Boston Air Traffic Control, stating, "We have some planes. Just stay quiet and you'll be okay. We're returning to the airport." This confirmed the hijacking.
• 8:40 a.m.: The operations manager at New York Center informed Michael McCormack, head of US air traffic control, that AA Flight 11's transponder had been turned off. The aircraft was still visible on radar but provided no altitude or identification. Controllers assumed a hostage situation.
• 8:42 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, delayed by 40 minutes, taxied onto the runway at Newark.
• 8:46 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Amy Sweeney, another flight attendant on board, had called the American Airlines service center, reporting the hijacking and seeing "water building" and the plane flying "very, very low."
• Initial Reactions: New York City Fire Department Chief Joe Feifer, responding to a gas leak, saw the crash and immediately dispatched firefighters to the World Trade Center. He requested 1,000 firefighters, knowing thousands were above the impact zone. Firefighters, carrying 30 kg of equipment, began climbing the narrow stairs, as elevators were damaged. They urged evacuees to keep moving.
• Media Response: CNN was the first to break the news at 8:49 a.m., followed by CBS at 8:52 a.m. In Florida, President Bush's team initially believed it was an accident. In France, at 3:00 p.m. local time, David Pujadas, a news presenter, saw the footage and realized the gravity of the situation, breaking into programming.
• 9:03 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, broadcast live globally. Fire Chief Feifer, in the North Tower lobby, heard the impact. Firefighters split, some staying in the North Tower, others going to the South.
• Horror on the Ground: Reporters Kristen Shaughnessy and Christine Hony Dare Brian arrived at the towers' base, witnessing people jumping from the burning buildings. The sound of bodies hitting the plexiglass awning was heartbreaking. Shaughnessy, with phone networks overloaded, used a payphone to report live.
• Media Dilemmas: News organizations, like CBS, made the decision not to show graphic images of people jumping, opting to convey the situation without being overly explicit. Major American networks brought out their star presenters, like Dan Rather and Peter Jennings, to provide a calming and authoritative presence.
• Internet Strain: The internet, still in its infancy, was overwhelmed as people sought real-time information. Major news websites crashed under the traffic, leading people to seek information from international sites like the BBC, which also eventually collapsed.
• President Bush Informed: While at an elementary school in Florida, President Bush was informed by his advisor, Andrew Card, that a second plane had hit the second tower, and "America is under attack." Bush maintained composure and made a public address, stating, "Today, we've had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country."
• President's Evacuation: Bush's motorcade rushed to the airport. Air Force One took off at an unusually steep angle to quickly reach 10,000 feet, beyond the range of shoulder-fired missiles. On board, communication was difficult, and there was no satellite TV. The Secret Service advised against returning to the White House due to ongoing threats.
• 9:37 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77, which had turned off its transponder and made a 180-degree turn, crashed into the Pentagon. Air traffic controllers, who had been tracking its trajectory, were in shock. FAA manager Michael McCormack replaced the team on duty.
• Airspace Shutdown: At 9:40 a.m., the FAA shut down all US airspace, ordering all 4,500 airborne aircraft to land at the nearest location. Military aircraft intercepted non-compliant planes.
• Washington Chaos: Panic erupted in Washington. CNN producer Linda Roth described chaos in the newsroom, with people running from federal buildings. Washington Post editor Leonard Downey sent reporters to cover the Pentagon and secured his building, fearing further attacks. Journalists focused on reporting eyewitness accounts and facts.
• Global Reaction: The third crash at the Pentagon led to widespread concern about further attacks. Journalists recognized they were covering the biggest story of their century.
• 9:59 a.m.: The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed, 56 minutes after impact. Kristen Shaughnessy, reporting live by phone, was forced to run for her life as a cloud of dust engulfed lower Manhattan. Fire Chief Feifer, in the North Tower, ordered an evacuation.
• 10:28 a.m.: The North Tower collapsed. NYPD helicopters had warned that the tower was leaning and buckling, but due to separate radio frequencies, the message didn't reach firefighters. The collapse claimed the lives of the majority of the 343 firefighters who died that day. Over 2,700 people in the towers perished.
• 10:03 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Passengers and crew had fought the terrorists, preventing the plane from reaching its intended target, believed to be Washington D.C. All 33 passengers, 7 crew members, and 4 terrorists died.

Aftermath and Investigation

• President's Whereabouts: Peter Jennings publicly questioned the president's location. President Bush, still on Air Force One, landed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana at 10:20 a.m. to communicate with Washington. Local media broadcast his arrival live.
• Reassurance and Resolve: Bush made a brief address, stating, "The full resources of the federal government are working to assist local authorities. Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible." He then flew to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, a secure underground facility, as returning to the White House was deemed too dangerous.
• Media's Role: The repetition of images of the collapsing towers on TV served to create a shared experience and memory, consolidating people. Websites, even those unrelated to news, began sharing information.
• Identifying the Perpetrators: The focus shifted to "who did this and why?" Security experts, including CNN's David Ensor, began calling sources. FBI investigator Ali Soufan immediately suspected al-Qaeda, recalling his former boss, John O'Neill, who had dedicated his career to tracking the group. O'Neill, ironically, had just retired to become head of security at the World Trade Center and died in the attacks.
• Al-Qaeda's History: Osama bin Laden had issued a fatwa in 1998, calling for Muslims to kill Americans, citing US support for Israel and military presence in Saudi Arabia. Al-Qaeda was responsible for the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 USS Cole attack.
• Missed Opportunities: The CIA had known about al-Qaeda's plans and even identified Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 2000. Despite placing them on a watch list on August 23, 2001, and informing the FBI, the information was not fully acted upon, allowing the terrorists to live in the US and take flying lessons. Investigations later confirmed the information was not adequately shared.
• Resilience and Hope: In lower Manhattan, firefighters searched the rubble, embodying resilience. The evacuation of nearly 500,000 people from Manhattan by boat, surpassing the scale of Operation Dynamo in Dunkirk, showcased community spirit. Hospitals, however, remained empty, as most victims had died in the collapses. Families desperately searched for loved ones, turning to online resources.
• Global Impact on News: French television channels, unaccustomed to continuous news coverage, adapted to the unfolding events, extending their broadcasts for hours.
• President's Return to Washington: Bush returned to a capital resembling a city at war, with military vehicles and National Guard troops. At 8:30 p.m., he addressed the nation from the Oval Office, declaring a "war on terror."
• New Era: The events of 9/11 ushered in an era of vengeance, war, and patriotism. The media faced pressure to be patriotic, leading to questions about journalistic objectivity. The US government, driven by urgency and fear of more attacks, expanded the powers of security agencies, leading to the Patriot Act, increased surveillance, and controversial practices like secret overseas prisons and torture.
• War on Terror: The US launched military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan in October 2001 and later invaded Iraq in 2003 based on false claims of weapons of mass destruction. This period of "unbridled patriotism, media under pressure, and lies used to justify war" fueled conspiracy theories and diminished trust in institutions.
• Long-Term Consequences: It took 10 years to track down and kill Osama bin Laden. The "war on terror" profoundly altered the global balance of power, leading to instability in the Middle East and Africa. Some argue it created more terrorists than it eliminated.
• Legacy: 9/11 left a deep scar, particularly on New Yorkers, but also fostered a sense of togetherness and community. The heroes of that day were ordinary citizens, passengers who fought back, and rescue workers who sacrificed their lives. The legacy of 9/11 is a call for future generations to be ordinary heroes in times of crisis.