When identifications began in 2001, coroners used a pylon grinder to crush bones before they were able to extract DNA
Technological advances in DNA tests allowed 2001 in the US, almost 24 years after the attacks. The announcement was made by New York City Hall last Thursday.
Identified victims are 1,651, 1,652 and 1,653, a total of 2,753 dead in the attack. Samples of their DNA were collected in the rubberism of the World Trade Center. People are: 72 -year -old Barbara Keating: a church leader was on a plane that collided with one of the towers; 26 -year -old Ryan Fitzgerald: Foreign currency operator at the fiduciary Trust Company International firm at the World Trade Center; and an unidentified woman on request the family.
Leap with science left pylon behind in search of DNA. When identifications began in 2001, coroner used a pylon grinder to crush bones before they were able to extract DNA. But the work around identifying thousands of people ended up assisting in the advancement of science.
Today, process is done with ultrasonic spheres and vibration bearing. This allows you to obtain more difficult sample DNA. “We become more and more successful in getting the genetic code of bone fragments,” celebrated Jason Graham, New York’s corresponding doctor to The New York Times. Even in cases where there are fewer remains, experts have been able to identify victims.
Experts work with a bank of 22,000 unidentified bodies found in the rubble. Most exams done today uses bone fragments, according to the coroner. “This is the most complex Forensic Identification Effort with DNA in history and comes from the largest mass extermination in the US,” he said to the newspaper.
22 victims have already been identified with advanced techniques. In addition to the difficulties of obtaining the genetic material of the dead, there is also the process not always simple to obtain DNA samples from their family members 24 years later.
The identification of one of the victims disclosed now was from the hair strands at a brush found in the rubble in 2001. Experts from the city’s Forensic Medical Institute compared DNA with collected samples of Barbara’s son and daughter, in a process that took three years from the possible association of the brush to her to the positive result. She had already been dead in the attack after a piece of one of her bank cards was found at the time.
“We have heard from forensic experts two decades ago: ‘Really, you should not expect any DNA because of the physical act of the explosion itself, because of the heat,” Paul Keating, the victim’s son, told The New York Times.
Before being associated with the attack, Barbara Keating was honored by the Massachusetts Senate in 1991. She received a prize that recognized her contributions to the state during her life, for decades work with organizations that helped solo mothers and people with intellectual disabilities.
She lived in Palm Springs in 2001, where she led a church. However, he used to spend the summer holidays in Cape Cod, where he returned on American Airlines flight 11 when the attack happened. The 61 -year -old son today saw the collision on TV, unaware that his mother was on board.
Many people have not yet been identified
About 40% of September 11 victims remain unidentified. According to New York City Hall, 1,100 people are waiting for a possible (and remote possibility) of identification. Among those already identified, more than 90% of the results were obtained from DNA examination.
“We are talking about people who make extra time for us 24 years later. For me, this is the most amazing part. You know they won’t stop until they have identified each person,” said Paul Keating.
Identification is especially complex because many of the victims had their remains degraded in the rubble. The entire process of location and removal of the dead took months, leaving less possible DNA to be extracted and analyzed. Ryan Fitzgerald, for example, was only removed from the World Trade Center in 2002.
