Four hijacked planes crashed into hallmark US buildings and institutions on Tuesday, destroying both of the New York World Trade Center's twin towers and wreaking havoc on the Pentagon in Washington.
After two of the planes crashed into the World Trade Center buildings within ten minutes of each other, resulting in literally leveling the trademark Manhattan waterfront monuments, a third plane crashed into the Pentagon building, the center of the US Department of Defense, destroying part of the distinctly-shaped building and setting it on fire. The fourth plane crashed down near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Airlines said they had lost four planes following the attacks. Other planes were reported missing on flight.
Here is a sequence of Tuesday's unprecedented events and their aftermath, all times in EDT. (GMT – 4hrs)
8:55 a.m. -- World Trade Center’s North Tower set ablaze after first plane crashes into it.
9:03 a.m.: The second plane crashes into the second World Trade Center tower and explodes. Both buildings are burning.
9.05 a.m.- Second plane crashes into World Trade Center’s South Tower.
9:17 a.m.: The FAA shuts down all New York City area airports.
9:21 a.m.: New York City Port Authority orders all bridges and tunnels in the New York City area closed
9:28 a.m. -- President Bush issues statement in Florida, saying the [US] has suffered an "apparent terrorist attack,” and vowing to hunt down attackers.
9:43 a.m.: Third aircraft, a helicopter, crashes into the Pentagon, sending up a huge plume of smoke. Evacuation begins immediately.
9:45 a.m.: The White House evacuates.
9:48 a.m. -- US Capitol evacuates.
9:49 a.m. -- US Federal Aviation Administration grounds all flights departing from US airports. First ever national ground stop of aircraft.
9:57 a.m.: Bush departs from Florida.
10:00 a.m. -- World Trade Center’s South Tower collapses.
10:05 a.m.: The the World Trade Center’s South Tower plummets into the streets below, creating a massive cloud of dust and debris that slowly drifts away from the building.
10:08 a.m.: Secret Service agents armed with automatic rifles are deployed into Lafayette Park across from the White House.
10:10 a.m.: A portion of the Pentagon collapses.
10:10 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh.
10:13 a.m.: The United Nations building evacuates, including 4,700 people from the headquarters building and 7,000 from UNICEF and UN development programs.
10:22 a.m.: In Washington, the State and Justice departments are evacuated, along with the World Bank.
10:24 a.m. -- FAA says all transatlantic flights into the US are being diverted to Canada.
10:28 a.m.: World Trade Center’s North Tower, the first to be hit, caves in on itself from the top down, releasing a tremendous cloud of debris and smoke.
10:45 a.m.: All federal office buildings in Washington are evacuated.
10.46 a.m.: US Secretary of State Colin Powell cuts short his trip to Latin America to return to the United States.
10:53 a.m.: New York's primary elections scheduled are postponed.
10:54 a.m.: Israel evacuates all diplomatic missions.
10:57 a.m.: New York Gov. George Pataki says all state government offices are closed.
11:00 a.m. -- New York Major Rudolph Giuliani orders the evacuation of Lower Manhattan, saying death toll is "tremendous” and urges citizens to stay at home.
11:16 a.m.: CNN reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing bioterrorism teams to respond to the incidents in a precautionary move. The preparation is not based on any known bioterrorism threat.
11:18 a.m.: American Airlines reports it has lost two aircraft. American Flight 11, a Boeing 767 flying from Boston to Los Angeles, had 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard. Flight 77, a Boeing 757 en route from Dulles Airport near Washington to Los Angeles, had 58 passengers and six crew members aboard. Flight 11 is believed to be one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center.
11:26 a.m.: United Airlines reports that United Flight 93, en route from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, has crashed in Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. The airline also says that it is "deeply concerned" about United Flight 175.
11:27 a.m. -- American Airlines confirms loss of two aircraft.
11:29 a.m. -- United Airlines confirms plane crashed near Pittsburgh, saying the fate of another flight is still unknown.
11:59 a.m.: United Airlines confirms that Flight 175, from Boston to Los Angeles, has crashed with 56 passengers and nine crew members aboard. Emergency personnel at the scene say there are no survivors.
12:15 p.m: San Francisco International Airport is evacuated and shut down. The airport was the destination of American Airlines Flight 77, which was one of the aircraft to strike the World Trade Center.
12:15 p.m.: The Immigration and Naturalization Service says US borders with Canada and Mexico are on the highest state of alert, but no decision has been made about closing borders.
12:30 p.m.: The FAA says 50 flights are in U.S. airspace, but none are reporting any problems.
12:33 a.m. -- United Airlines confirms that the second plane crashed at an unknown location. Four planes now confirmed crashed by both airlines.
12:39 a.m. -- Bush makes second statement, vows to hunt down and punish those responsible.
1:04 p.m.: President Bush says that all appropriate security measures are being taken, including putting the US military on high alert worldwide. He asks for prayers for those killed or wounded in the attacks and says: "Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts."
1:20 p.m. -- Bush leaves Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for an undisclosed location.
1:26 a.m. H- A US official says some indications people with links to Saudi-exile Osama bin Laden conducted Tuesday's attacks -- Albawaba.com
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