US forensic scientists use ‘breakthrough’ method to identify 9/11 victim
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The finding still leaves many people – 40 per cent of the 2,753 people who died in the city on Sept 11 – whose names have not been linked to remains.
PHOTO: DAVE SANDERS/NYTIMES
Patrick McGeehan
- For the first time, New York forensic scientists used forensic investigative genetic genealogy to identify a 9/11 victim, combining DNA analysis with police detective work.
- This breakthrough identification marks the 1,654th victim identified since 2001, offering hope to identify more of the 40% of victims still unidentified.
- The complex identification is due to extreme conditions at the site, but traditional DNA methods alongside new genealogy tools continue to advance victim identification efforts.
AI generated
NEW YORK – For nearly 25 years, forensic scientists have been testing and retesting bone fragments and other human remains found at the site of the Sept 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In that time, they have identified more than 1,600 victims.
On Aug 24, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City medical examiner’s office announced that they had identified another victim, the first identification in almost 12 months.