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Remembering 9/11, twenty-five years on…
10/09/2026
Where were you 25 years ago on 11 September 2001?, asks Dr Sarah Jane Fox of Leicester Law School.
You may not recall the actual day of the week, but, if you were old enough, you will surely remember the events of that day….. for me a sunny, bright Tuesday. In my lifetime, there have only been a few days that stand out with such vivid recollections of where I was and what I was doing – the deaths of Princess Diana and Elvis Presley being two. But for me, no day compares – in terms of the loss of lives on one solitary day and the lasting legacy of the events – that ‘shook the world.’
I am not sure if this is further intensified because of my background and my related research interests – after all, I worked in policing and security – specialising in transport and movements and I had often expressed concerns relating to the vulnerability of certain modes and systems.
In New York, for most parts, office workers were arriving at their place of work; for me, I was waiting for my young daughter to arrive back from school. It was 08.46 in New York and 14.46 for me, given I was in mainland Europe at the time. It had been a gloriously hot morning – where the washing had dried rapidly in the sunshine, and, although, it was autumn it felt like a spring day – full of hope, for me…. a new country and a new venture.
I had the television on, and I happen to be listening to Sky News, as I was preparing lunch; ….. and, then, the news broke. An airplane had flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre in New York. There was speculation from the news team, for over 15 minutes, as to what had actually happened – was it a small plane? An accident? Or something more sinister? And, I can honestly say – I knew it was the latter. By 15.03 it was confirmed – not because of rapid intelligence but because a second flight – United Airlines 175 had been crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Centre. Across the next hour, two further planes were to fall victim to the worst terrorist attack in our history – at 15.37 American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the western side of the Pentagon and within thirty minutes United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after the heroic passengers on board fought back.
I defy anyone watching the events unfold not to have cried at the sheer loss of lives and devastation that had been witnessed. It was like nothing I had even seen and although I remember the impact of the Shuttle (Challenger) disaster unfold live in the 1980’s – the events of 9/11 were in a league of their own. There were so many unsung heroes of that day, and many stories still remain untold of those that were actually there and were fortunate to live through it. Many children lost their lives or were impacted by the loss of parents they were never to fully know. Lives were simply cut dead or shortened as the consequences and impact of that day had repercussions to the health and wellbeing of many.
It was probably the day that my daughter was to receive the biggest hug she had ever had as I appreciated what I had when she walked through the door as events continued to evolve.
I had been fortunate to see the Twin Towers several years earlier and I have since returned to the memorial to pay my small tribute to the lives lost. That equally was a moving event as it brought back the memories I had but I also heard and saw the impact on others too – those alive and those, sadly not
Over the years I have continued to research the events and to go on and undertake both my Master’s degree and my PhD relating to transport – across the areas of safety, security, free movement and defence.
In 2015/2016 I was fortunate to secure a (post-doctoral) distinguished Fulbright Scholarship, for 12 months to go to the United Stated – in Chicago, which is home of our modern-day international agreement on aviation. This research was also co-supported by Lloyd’s of London, the insurance and risk market, and I researched across aviation (air transport) as well as drones (Unmanned Aircraft Systems – UAS) and space.
Five years ago, I wrote several research pieces[1] reflecting on the events and the lessons learnt from that day in 2001 and across the then 20-year period since; and, whilst I have not written a piece this year – I wanted to share my recollections of that day, the past 25-years but also to highlight that in this unstable world we currently live in, we need to appreciate what we have but also to be mindful of protecting our future, so that such an atrocity never occurs again. Well, that would be my dream – but the realism is that that will unlikely be the reality.
The statistics that speak to the loss of lives for 9/11 are just that – a number, which does not speak to the extensive suffering of those that died and were also left behind. History (the 9/11 Memorial and Museum) identifies that the terrorist attacks killed 2,977 people and injured thousands at the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon, and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. But in reality, the number is far higher as the lives of first responders…. police, fire, ambulance and other aiders for that day, including the subsequent workers who aided in the building demolition, have continued to be claimed.
There have been countless wars and conflicts since 9/11 – many fought in the name of peace, which have also claimed thousands of lives too. And as so often happens in warfare – technology has marched on and advanced providing the means to claim many more, often at a distance whereby the attacked and attacker never physically meet. The evolution, and use, of drones has rapidly advanced and together with space technologies and A.I. ultimately lead to the next level of mobility (and domains of warfare) – combing physical and virtual realities. Yes, there is the potential separation between military capabilities and warfare, and civilian utilisation, but we only have to look back at 9/11 to see that, in the wrong hands, technologies can be misused, abused and used on the wider population.
So, this Friday – remember the events of September 11th 2001 – spare a thought for all the victims of that day (and since) – then, think about the last 25-years, question the legacy, and also just how have far we have come in terms of technology advancements and then ask, how do we ensure it never happens again?
Then finally, give your loved ones a hug and …….. never take anything for granted.
[1] “Past Attacks, Future Risks: Where Are We 20-years After 9/11?” Journal of Strategic Security 14, no. 3. and Past Events: in hindsight! 20 years after – 9/11. Issues in Aviation Law and Policy Vol. 21, No.1, Autumn. 85-122.