07:58-10:28 - 11 September 2001

On the morning of 11th September 2001, America experienced the worst terrorist attack in the country’s history. Four commercial jetliners were hijacked shortly after take-off, by members of the al-Qaeda network, and flown towards targets in New York and Washington. Up to 2,800 people were killed and hundreds more injured in the attacks.

Hijacker holds a penknife as he gets ready to hijack the plane.

Terrorist Alomari on board American Flight 11.

People who survived the blast tried to escape using the emergency staircases, descending 70 flights or more. Fire fighters, who were bravely climbing up the stairs, carrying heavy equipment in a bid to quench the flames, met them on their way down. Nobody realised the fire was beyond control and the buildings were about to collapse. Terrified witnesses on the ground saw people jump from the upper floors, desperate to escape the inferno. Huge amounts of burning jet-fuel weakened the steel structure of the buildings until it could no longer support the concrete floors.

People all over the world watched in horror as the towers fell, sending people running for their lives from the falling debris and immense cloud of choking dust. Worried families and friends anxiously waited for news of loved ones as the dust settled. The aeroplane that crashed into the Pentagon, targeting the centre of American military defences, killed 184 people.

On United Airlines Flight 93, passengers made calls to their loved ones before they attempted to seize control back from the hijackers. The aeroplane crashed into a field, killing all 40 people on board, but their heroic efforts meant it never reached its intended target.

* Images from Zero Hour program