About 10 years ago, America was stunned and shocked to wake up and see the World Trade Center being attacked and burning. Many people sttood in shock, many ran, and many stayed behind and close to take photos and footage. A couple of days later, many photographs of the attacks and aftermath were released for the entire world to see. If you noticed, you would see that all the photos were taken on ground or very far away as well. There was not one photo that was taken in the air to see the extent of the damage.
Now, ABC has obtained thousdands of photographs taken from the air. The aerial photographs of the attacks were taken by the only police helicopter given the ok to be in airspace at the time. The OK was given for thesole purpose of finding possible survivors in the roofs of the burning buildings. These photographs give the people a “rare and chilling view from the heavens of the burning twin towers and the apocalyptic shroud of smoke and dust that settled over the city.”
There are a couple of people who were infuriated by the late release of these photographs because they believed it would be important to the investigation of the attacks. However, it is too late for that now. these photographs just reinforce what people already know. It does, however, give the people a new point of view of the extent of the damage done by the attacks. Now, these photographs can serve as a record of a terrible but historic moment of the United States.
Specifically, 2,997 photos were taken by the helicopter. 245 digital shots were also taken. Greg Semendinger and his pilot were the only two people who saw the attacks occur from the air. They mustr have been stunned and schocked at what they were viewing. They were, of course, seeing the same thing that people on the ground were watching, just at different angles and perspectives.
The photographs that were taken are one of a kind. And now, the September 11 Museum wishes to obtain the collection of photographs.
You can view a couple of the images here.
