"America's luck has run out," said one journalist covering this morning's tragic events in New York City and Washington, D.C. At about 9 a.m. this morning, a highjacked commercial airplane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center, located at the tip of Manhattan's financial district. Some twenty minutes later, a second plane crashed into the adjoining tower.
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Both buildings, measuring 110-stories toppled soon after. The World Trade Center employs about 50,000 workers, holds 155 financial companies and hosts nearly 80,000 visitors per day.
American Airline flight 11 from Boston en route to Los Angeles carrying 81 passengers and 11 crew members and American Airlines flight 77 from Washington Dulles airport with 58 passengers and six crew were among two missing aircraft that crashed into the Trade Center buildings. A third plane, United Airlines flight 93 headed from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco crashed outside Summerset, Pa. Initial police reports indicate that there are no survivors, but officials have not determined whether the crash is connected to this morning's attacks.
United Airline officials said a fourth plane, flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles also is missing.
New York City officials evacuated the surrounding neighborhoods as far as Rockefeller Center nearly 40 blocks north of the Trade Center. Civilian witnesses told police and reporters that victims were jumping from windows to escape the flames that had engulfed the top floors of the building before it collapsed.
An hour after the World Trade Center attacks, another highjacked plane crashed in the Pentagon, part of which later collapsed. Emergency workers evacuated employees from the building as smoke and flames billowed throughout.
Rescue crews are working to treat victims and extinguish the fire.
In the first-ever-national stop of all aircraft, all flights have been diverted from airports across the country.
United States officials have not said what group they believe is responsible for the attacks.
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