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It has been 17 years since the devastating 9/11 attacks. Coverage of the American Airlines flight 11 tragedy during which nearly 3,000 perished was the main priority that day for most Western news agencies (the scenes of the twin towers collapsing were witnessed by an estimated two billion people - a third of the human race). Together with amateur records, this has produced such an incredible amount of 9/11 photos, some of it is rarely seen even today.
Bored Panda has collected some of the least seen 9/11 stories from across the internet. From street shots of the twin towers attack to satellite images of New York City, these historical photos are revealing new angles of the horrific day that changed the world forever. For more similar September 11 shots, check out this powerful book by David Friend.
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#1
A Knot Of Bystanders At Park Row And Beekman Street Look Up As The South Tower Begins To Collapse
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#2
At Rector Street And Broadway, A Photographer Leaned Out His Window With A Medium-format Camera And Caught The Moment Before The Second Plane’s Impact
#3
People Falling From The Towers
#4
A Man Has A Job To Do
John L 7 years ago
This does not surprise me at all. When I was in graduate school I worked the midnight shift at UPS, in Knoxville. Everything was 100% about getting the packages shipped and delivered. Management never slowed down. Everyone worked non stop from the moment they clocked in until they clocked out. In other words, you were paid well, but earned every penny made. Its the most 'workaholic' company in the world, I kid you not.
#5
As Seen Through A Fish-Eye Lens From An Apartment Four Blocks Away, Smoke Streams From The North Tower Within Minutes Of The First Plane’s Attack
#6
American Airlines Flight 11 (Visible In The Upper Right-Hand Corner Of The Photo) Approaches The North Tower Of The World Trade Center On September 11, 2001
American Airlines Flight 11 (visible in the upper right-hand corner of the photo) approaches the north tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. This largely unknown triptych (the subsequent images follow), shot from a Brooklyn window, was part of an ongoing Internet art exhibition that displayed updated panoramas of downtown Manhattan every four seconds. A time code can be seen in the lower right-hand corner of each frame.
Greg Hoggarth 7 years ago
I recall there being very little footage of the first plane hitting, so this might be amongst that scarce record.
#7
South Tower Of The World Trade Center Collapsing
#8
The South Tower Disintegrates, Raining Debris Behind A Cross Atop Trinity Church
#9
Not Yet Realizing A Terrorist Attack Was In Progress, Architect And Amateur Pilot Isabel Daser, Eight Months Pregnant, Asked A Co-Worker To Take Her Portrait As A Record Of The Day
#10
The Second Plane Flew Directly Over My Head And Slammed Into The South Tower. It Took Me A Few Seconds To Get My Head Together, And This Was The Shot I Took
#11
I Was 4 Years Old And The Picture Was Taken Along The Westside Highway That Morning On 9/11
Isabel Tamayo 7 years ago
Who would have thought? Walking on a busy street, the weather is nice and sunny. You click a picture of your son and suddenly see the tragedy at the background. Really sad.
#12
A Lone Man Runs Down Broadway As A Smoke And Dust Cloud Comes Up The Street From The Collapsing World Trade Center Buildings In New York September 11, 2001
#13
9/11
#14
Smoke Plumes Are Clearly Visible In This Landsat 7 Satellite Image Of New York City Made Early On September 12
logical fallacy 7 years ago
One of the scariest accounts I've read on 9/11 is that of a woman who worked nearby and lived not-so-nearby. In her mind, the most horrifying was the smell of burnt debris and people that engulfed te city in the following days. I can see why now.
#15
A Plane Explodes After Hitting The Second Tower Of The World Trade Center As The Other Tower Burns
#16
Penman Got As Close To The Buildings As He Could, Before Police Put Up A Cordon. But That Meant He Was Right Next To The Buildings When The First Tower Collapsed
#17
On A Brooklyn Rooftop Shortly After The Collapse Of The Twin Towers
On a Brooklyn rooftop shortly after the collapse of the Twin Towers, Jenna Piccirillo and three-month-old Vaughan embody innocence and resilience, according to the photographer: “Life continues in the face of disaster . . . despite the horrors we inflict on one another.”
EmptySoul 7 years ago
why I can't find anything to comment on this pic, is it because this picture is such a contrast of what is happening. One side is disaster, loss of innocent lives, and one side there is a new life booming and making its way into such unpredictable world. what thoughts must be going inside that mother's mind, only a mother would know.
#18
The Photographer Considered This 9/11 Brooklyn Scene Too Tranquil At The Time. He Decided Not To Publish The Image Widely Until Four Years After The Attacks
Monty Is Fiennes 7 years ago
But what did it mean to them...no radio???...no news????...They may have thought it was an office fire...very much doubt they were aware of the tragedy and continued so casually....
#19
Twin Towers Of The World Trade Center Burn Behind The Empire State Building
#20
Several Buildings In The Trade Center Complex Collapsed Following A Terrorist Attack
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What do you think ?
Cat Meow 7 years ago
To this day, I know EXACTLY what I was doing. It was about 1.30pm I got home from Europe (based in Europe, fyi), which is 7.30 in NYC, had lunch. After lunch, I went to my room and turned on the radio only to hear the sky above the US was closed. They didn't say why at that moment, so I went to ask my mom. She didn't know either. Instead of going back to my room, I went to the living room, turned on the TV and basically shouted for my mom to come over. We spent the rest of the day glued to the TV watching the second plane hit the tower and the rest of the horror unfold. Up until then, it was the most terrifying experience. I can't imagine how everyone close by felt. :(
Mascha Claessens 7 years ago
It seems everyone still remember what they were doing... Even people who don't live in NYC, or even the USA, at all. I was 10 years old at the time, also from Europe, I live in The Netherlands, and I also still remember everything. How I was playing with a friend at home after school, and her mother was incredibly late to pick her up. She apologised, she was late because she had been following the news. My parents hadn't seen the news yet (they usually don't watch TV during the day), and immediately turned on the TV. You can imagine it still took a few hours for my friend and her mother to leave.
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Fay 7 years ago
It's hard for me to see any pics of video from 9/11. All I think about is how many people are dying right as the footage was taken.
Marilyn Z 5 years ago
I well understand...I am not one to cry, but every time I see these pictures, I would just like to burst out sobbing. To think of all the innocents who started their normal day never to go home again. Heartbreaking. There but by the grace of God, go I.
Load More Replies...
Samantha Bing 7 years ago
I was living in downtown NYC that day - the entire island was filled with dust and silence - I will always remember the smell that permeated the air for weeks - its something I will never forget
Suzanne McGee 7 years ago
Oh god, that smell. If I woke up and smelled it at home in Brooklyn, then I wouldn't smell it in our temporary offices in SoHo. But the reverse was also true. And I knew dozens of people who died that day and knew what that smell represented.
Load More Replies...
Cat Meow 7 years ago
To this day, I know EXACTLY what I was doing. It was about 1.30pm I got home from Europe (based in Europe, fyi), which is 7.30 in NYC, had lunch. After lunch, I went to my room and turned on the radio only to hear the sky above the US was closed. They didn't say why at that moment, so I went to ask my mom. She didn't know either. Instead of going back to my room, I went to the living room, turned on the TV and basically shouted for my mom to come over. We spent the rest of the day glued to the TV watching the second plane hit the tower and the rest of the horror unfold. Up until then, it was the most terrifying experience. I can't imagine how everyone close by felt. :(
Mascha Claessens 7 years ago
It seems everyone still remember what they were doing... Even people who don't live in NYC, or even the USA, at all. I was 10 years old at the time, also from Europe, I live in The Netherlands, and I also still remember everything. How I was playing with a friend at home after school, and her mother was incredibly late to pick her up. She apologised, she was late because she had been following the news. My parents hadn't seen the news yet (they usually don't watch TV during the day), and immediately turned on the TV. You can imagine it still took a few hours for my friend and her mother to leave.
Load More Replies... Fay 7 years ago
It's hard for me to see any pics of video from 9/11. All I think about is how many people are dying right as the footage was taken.
Marilyn Z 5 years ago
I well understand...I am not one to cry, but every time I see these pictures, I would just like to burst out sobbing. To think of all the innocents who started their normal day never to go home again. Heartbreaking. There but by the grace of God, go I.
Load More Replies... Samantha Bing 7 years ago
I was living in downtown NYC that day - the entire island was filled with dust and silence - I will always remember the smell that permeated the air for weeks - its something I will never forget
Suzanne McGee 7 years ago
Oh god, that smell. If I woke up and smelled it at home in Brooklyn, then I wouldn't smell it in our temporary offices in SoHo. But the reverse was also true. And I knew dozens of people who died that day and knew what that smell represented.
Load More Replies...
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