More than 25 years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, New York City authorities are using advanced forensic methods to identify victims whose remains have not yet been formally recognized. Last month, the city announced the identification of a previously unknown victim using forensic investigative genetic genealogy, or FIGG, bringing the total identified from the World Trade Center to 1,654. This development offers renewed hope to the families of the more than 1,000 victims whose remains have not been identified, according to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
The identification process has proven extraordinarily challenging due to the severity of damage inflicted by plane crashes and resulting fires fueled by jet fuel. The medical examiner’s office has recovered remains from 2,753 people killed at the World Trade Center, with approximately 60 percent successfully identified to date. Complicating matters further, the scale of casualties at the World Trade Center far exceeded those at other attack sites, such as the Pentagon and the Shanksville, Pennsylvania crash site, where identification efforts were completed using conventional methods including fingerprints and dental records.
The FIGG technology represents a significant advancement in identification capabilities. Unlike traditional DNA methods, whole genome sequencing allows investigators to identify potential matches with more distant relatives, expanding the pool of possible connections. Once preliminary matches are established, New York Police Department officials work to locate and contact closer relatives of the deceased. Since 9/11, DNA technology has resulted in 1,495 identifications, with some cases relying solely on genetic analysis and others employing multiple identification methods in combination.
The emotional weight of identifications remains considerable for families. While some welcome definitive confirmation of their loved one’s death, others find the prospect of reopening grief-stricken memories too painful after more than two decades. The medical examiner’s office continues receiving weekly inquiries from family members seeking information about unrecovered remains. For those who elect to claim remains, the city maintains a private repository built into the bedrock of the World Trade Center site, as well as a reflection room for mourning.
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