9/11 Victims Remembered 25 Years After Terrorist Attacks

NEW YORK — Memorial services are being held in the United States and elsewhere to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, in which 2,977 people were killed.

The attacks began when hijackers took control of four commercial aircraft, crashing two into the World Trade Center towers in New York City and another into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

The fourth aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempted to regain control of the plane.

At the National September 11 Memorial in New York, victims’ families are gathering for the 25th anniversary commemoration, during which the names of those killed will be read aloud. The ceremony is being held on the Memorial plaza and is being streamed for the public.

The Memorial and Museum said the ceremony includes moments of silence marking key stages of the attacks, including when the World Trade Center towers were struck and collapsed, the Pentagon attack and the crash of Flight 93. It will also honour people who later died from illnesses linked to the attacks.

In London, a 25th anniversary commemorative event is also taking place at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, organised by the charity Since 9/11. The event is part of international remembrance of the victims and the continuing impact of the attacks.

The attacks transformed the United States’ approach to national security and had far-reaching consequences for international foreign, security and intelligence policies.

They triggered the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan against al-Qaeda and the Taliban and contributed to a major expansion of counter-terrorism measures, intelligence cooperation and airport security worldwide.

Twenty-five years later, the consequences of the attacks continue to be felt by survivors, victims’ families, first responders and communities affected by illnesses linked to exposure at the World Trade Center site.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum said the anniversary is also an opportunity to ensure that younger generations, including millions of Americans born after the attacks, understand their significance and remember the courage, compassion and service that followed the tragedy.

The Memorial is also marking the anniversary with its annual Tribute in Light, in which two beams of light illuminate the New York skyline on the evening of September 11 as a symbol of remembrance.

Background

On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger planes as part of a coordinated attack against the United States. American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were flown into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center.

American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, while United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to intervene.

The World Trade Center towers subsequently collapsed, causing extensive loss of life and destruction in Lower Manhattan.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum said its 25th anniversary programme is intended not only to commemorate those killed but also to examine the long-term legacy of the attacks and the response to them.

Its 2026 programmes include discussions involving historians, policymakers, veterans, clinicians, journalists and members of the 9/11 community.