Last month, New York City officials announced the discovery of the identification of three remaining bodies from the attack against the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. 

Many are surprised to find out that there are still remains from that horrible day that haven’t been given an identity yet, and many more are still trying to bring them and their families honor 24 years later. 

The circumstances of the attack has made identifying remains extremely difficult. The remains of many victims also survived in the rubble for an extra period of time, which allows for DNA to be scarce, and harder to collect. According to an article from the New York Times, Forensic scientists found over 21,905 pieces of fragmented body parts and small shards of bone recovered from the ashy pile, but it has taken many advancements in technology throughout the years to actually extract DNA.

Work is being done inside the Medical Examiner’s DNA Crime Lab, the largest DNA crime lab in North America. Since the attacks, victims have been identified by tattoos, dental x-rays, fingerprints, and more. Now, many investigators are analyzing bone or DNA.

A lot of victims were also cremated and burned to ashes before they were able to be found. Harsh conditions in the rubble like the fire, the water used to put out the fire, sunlight, mold, bacteria, and insects also helped to destroy DNA before it could be tested. 

Even after all these tests, remains can only be identified if their DNA already exists in the medical examiner’s database. This can be extracted from personal items given by family members, like toothbrushes and razors. With these measures being taken, three more people were able to be identified in August. 

It’s comforting to know that someone’s dearly beloved is finally getting the justice they deserve, and it’s heartwarming to see that people care about bringing these victims justice.