Key facts
- Over 1,000 people killed in the 9/11 attacks in New York have yet to be identified.
- The Office of Chief Medical Examiner has identified 1,654 victims of the World Trade Center attacks.
- New technology called forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) is being used to identify remains.
- Human remains were damaged by plane crashes and jet fuel fires, complicating DNA sample collection.
- Some first responders wore uniforms with others' names, further complicating identification.
- Remains from the World Trade Center have been packaged and sealed to preserve DNA for future testing.
Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the quest to identify the remains of victims continues, offering a glimmer of hope to families still awaiting answers. According to New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner, over 1,000 people killed in New York on that day remain unidentified.
Dennis Scauso, a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), is one of those whose remains have not been identified. He was not scheduled to work on September 11, 2001, but switched shifts for overtime pay. His family was told he was likely in the South Tower of the World Trade Center when it collapsed. Months later, his mangled firefighter helmet with his badge number was found.
"I've spent essentially my entire life knowing my father died, and learning to live with the fact that we never recovered him," said his daughter, Juliette Scauso, who was four years old when he died. Her father's helmet is the only physical trace she has from his last day.
In recent months, the city announced the identification of a previously unknown victim, the 1,654th person, using a new technology called forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG). Angela Soler, director of forensic anthropology in the city's medical examiner office, stated that this approach offers real promise and hope for more families to receive answers.
Efforts to identify victims have been complicated by the severe damage to human remains from the plane crashes and jet fuel fires, meaning the office often had only portions of victims for DNA samples. Additionally, the timing of the attacks meant many firefighters were changing shifts, and some who stayed to help wore uniforms with others' names, further complicating identification. The World Trade Center site also had a significantly higher number of victims compared to other attack sites.
Since 9/11, Soler's office has sought to identify the 2,753 victims who died at the World Trade Center, with 60 percent now identified. DNA technology has been crucial, with officials retesting remains using new methods as they become available. Last year, 24 years after the attacks, three new victims were identified through DNA analysis: Ryan Fitzgerald, a currency trader; Babara Keating, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11; and a woman whose family requested privacy.
The FIGG technology utilizes whole genome sequencing, allowing investigators to read an entire genetic code and make potential matches with more distant relatives. The New York Police Department then assists in locating closer family members. Despite the progress, the medical examiner's office still receives weekly calls from loved ones inquiring about unidentified individuals. Some families choose not to be notified if remains are found, finding the confirmation too painful, while others opt to leave identified remains at a repository at the 9/11 memorial site.