Maritime response following the September 11 attacks

Main article: Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center
Maritime response following the September 11 attacks
United States Coast Guard patrolling the New York Harbor with the impact area of World Trade Center in sight, September 11, 2001.
DateSeptember 11, 2001 (2001-09-11)
LocationNew York Harbor
Coordinates40°40′06″N 74°02′44″W / 40.66833°N 74.04556°W / 40.66833; -74.04556
Also known as9/11 Boatlift[1]
TypeEmergency evacuation
Search and rescue
Firefighting[2]
CauseSeptember 11 attacks
Organized by United States Coast Guard[3]
ParticipantsU.S. Coast Guard, FDNY, Sandy Hook pilots, NY Waterway, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Staten Island Ferry, SeaStreak, and other public and private vessels
OutcomeMore than 500,000 people rescued and evacuated from Lower Manhattan[4]

Following the September 11 attacks in New York City, many people were unable to leave Lower Manhattan due to the closure of bridges and tunnels and mass transportation.[5][6] Within minutes of the first plane hitting the first tower, multiple fireboats from the New York City Fire Department rushed to the scene.[7] The United States Coast Guard coordinated a large convoy of merchant ships, tugboats, and ferries to evacuate the stranded and injured victims.[8][9]

More than 150 different vessels and 600 sailors helped evacuate victims and delivered supplies in the days following the attacks.[10][11] According to commandant of the Coast Guard James Loy, the mass evacuation of more than 500,000 civilians following the attacks "moved more people from the island than the 1940 evacuation of Allied troops from France."[3]

  1. ^ "Boatlift - Tom Hanks Narrates "An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience"". American Waterways Operators. September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  2. ^ Goldblatt, Rochel Leah (August 5, 2019). "FDNY fireboat that served on 9/11 to be relaunched with new mission after Rockland repairs". The Journal News. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  3. ^ a b LaGrone, Sam (July 23, 2014). "Coast Guard Led 9-11 Water Evacuation Was 'Bigger Than Dunkirk'". USNI News. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  4. ^ DuLong, Jessica (August 20, 2017). "The 9/11 rescue that we need to hear more about". CNN. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  5. ^ "New York City Shuts Down". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 11, 2001. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  6. ^ New York City Department of Transportation (2011). "Manhattan River Crossings 2001" (PDF) (Press release). New York City: NYCDOT. Government of New York City. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  7. ^ "Historic Fireboat Aids in New York City Response and Recovery at the World Trade Center". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  8. ^ "Boats evacuated one million New Yorkers after WTC attack". Marine Log. September 19, 2001. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  9. ^ Douglas, L. Keeney (August 15, 2021). The Lives They Saved: The Untold Story of Medics, Mariners and the Incredible Boatlift that Evacuated Nearly 300,000 People on 9/11. Lyons Press. ISBN 9781493048113.
  10. ^ David, Brittney; Atmonavage, Joe Atmonavage; Matthew (September 10, 2021). "The great boat lift of 9/11: The unsung story of how hundreds of thousands were rescued that tragic day". NJ Advance Media.
  11. ^ Henry, James (September 10, 2019). "The unsung tale of 9/11's maritime rescuers". New York Post. Retrieved September 11, 2019.