The deadliest 102 minutes in the history of America ended with two iconic skyscrapers down in dust, thousands of lost lives, many more injured, and a completely shaken country and by extension the world. One mastermind behind it all - leader of terrorist organisation Osama Bin Laden, who orchestrated the deadly attack that killed 2,977 people.
The 9/11 terrorist attack became a painful memory to recall. Not just the survivors who underwent major trauma, but even for those who watched the iconic structures and the world's most secure airspace get violated like that from around the world were in shock. Each passing year, September 11 became more than a date - something of a painful memory to relive with the same agony.
The terrorists attacked the World Trade Centre - both the North and South Towers, which came tumbling down, the Pentagon and the hijacked Flight 93. Below is the detailed count of the painful event that took place on September 11, 2001.
The hijack
Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four US passenger planes between 8 and 9 am.
7:59 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 was carrying 81 passengers and 11 crew members, departed 14 minutes late from Logan International Airport in Boston, enroute Los Angeles International Airport. Five hijackers were onboard.
8:14: United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767, carrying 56 passengers and 9 crew members, departed 14 minutes late from Logan International Airport in Boston, headed to Los Angeles International Airport. Five hijackers were onboard.
8:14: Flight 11 is hijacked over central Massachusetts, made a turn northwest and then south.
8:20: American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757 with 58 passengers and 6 crew members, departed 10 minutes late from Washington Dulles International Airport, for Los Angeles International Airport. Five hijackers were aboard.
8:42: United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 with 37 passengers and 7 crew members, departed 42 minutes late from Newark International Airport, headed for San Francisco International Airport. Four hijackers were aboard.
8:42–8:46 (approx.): Flight 175 is hijacked above northwest New Jersey, about 60 miles northwest of New York City, then makes flight southwest then turned back to the northeast.
The attack
8:46:40: Flight 11 crashes into the north face of the North Tower (1 WTC) of the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99.
8:50–8:54 (approx.): Flight 77 is hijacked above southern Ohio, turning to the southeast.
9:02:57: Flight 175 crashes into the south face of the South Tower (2 WTC) of the World Trade Center, between floors 77 and 85. Parts of the plane, including the starboard engine, leave the building from its east and north sides. The debris falls six blocks away.
9:28: Flight 93 is hijacked above northern Ohio, turning to the southeast.
9:37:46: Flight 77 crashes into the western side of The Pentagon and starts a violent fire.
9:45: United States shuts down airspace.
9:59:00: The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses, 56 minutes after the impact of Flight 175.
10:28:22: The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses, 1 hour and 42 minutes after the impact of Flight 11. The Marriott Hotel, located at the base of the two towers, is also destroyed.
10:50:19: Five stories part of the Pentagon collapse due to the fire.
5:20:33 p.m.: 7 World Trade Center, a 47-story building, collapses.
This terror attack was a major turning point for the decade-long international man-hunt for Osama bin Laden. The most-wanted man in the history was finally shot dead on May 2, 2011 by US Navy SEALs inside his private residential compound in Pakistan.
