The Terrible Toll of 9/11

America’s worst day, by the numbers.

 

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The mass terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, resulted in the largest number of deaths in a single incident on American soil in the modern era, even more than in the infamous Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i, 60 years earlier. When hundreds of millions of people around the world witnessed the collapse of the World Trade Center towers in New York – either live or in endless replays on television networks – there was no doubt that many innocent people had perished. 

 

Taking into account the casualties in New York; at the Pentagon, across the river from Washington, D.C.; and on United Flight 93 when it crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, approximately 2,977 people died that day. Countless more were wounded, lost loved ones, suffered long-term medical issues, or were emotionally traumatized. 

 

Here is an accounting of those who were killed:

 

1. Civilians

World Trade Center: Approximately 2,606 civilians died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Pentagon: 125 civilians died at the Pentagon.

 

2. First Responders

Firefighters: 343 firefighters from the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) lost their lives.

Police Officers: 23 police officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) and 37 Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) officers were killed.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics: 8 EMTs and paramedics died in the attacks.

 

Memorial plaque commemorating firefighters of FDNY Battalion 9 who died on September 11, 2001 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

 

3. Airline Passengers and Crew

American Airlines Flight 11: 92 people (including 5 hijackers) died.

United Airlines Flight 175: 65 people (including 5 hijackers) died.

American Airlines Flight 77: 125 people (including 5 hijackers) died.

United Airlines Flight 93: 44 people (including 4 hijackers) died.

 

4. Americans and Non-Americans

Americans: The majority of the victims were U.S. citizens.

Non-Americans: Approximately 372 non-American citizens were also killed. They came from various countries, including the U.K., Canada, Australia, and several others.

 

These figures are approximate and can vary slightly depending on the source and overlaps among the categories, but they provide a broad overview of the tragic loss of life on that day.

 

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Title Image: USAF Chief Master Sgt. Brian Hornback views collage of victims of the terrorist attacks at the 9/11 Memorial and Tribute Center in New York City (Credit: Senior Airman Grovert Fuentes-Contreras, U.S. Air Force, via Wikimedia Commons)