Twenty-five years after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, New York is commemorating the nearly 3,000 people killed in the deadliest attack on US soil with ceremonies at Ground Zero, heightened security measures and tributes across the city.
The main ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial began with the annual reading of the 2,983 names of those killed in the 2001 attacks and the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
Seven moments of silence
During the ceremony, participants will observe six periods of silence marking the moments when the hijacked aircraft struck the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania and the collapse of the two towers.
For the first time, a seventh moment of silence has been added in memory of those who later died from illnesses linked to the attacks and their aftermath.
City-wide tributes
Commemorations will continue with an interfaith memorial service at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, adjacent to Ground Zero, attended by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
A special concert featuring the New York Philharmonic and a US Army musical ensemble choir is also scheduled at the Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center.
After sunset, the annual Tribute in Light installation will illuminate the sky above Lower Manhattan with two beams representing the Twin Towers, while landmarks including the Empire State Building, One World Observatory and Rockefeller Center will be lit in blue.
A drone light show featuring one drone for every life lost on 9/11 lit up the New York City sky in a powerful tribute to the victims. 🇺🇸
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) September 10, 2026
What a beautiful tribute. 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/JUEeAIsgVC
Heightened security
Security has been significantly increased around Lower Manhattan for the anniversary.
New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the deployment around the World Trade Center site would be larger than in previous years, despite the absence of any specific threat.
Counterterrorism units, specialist teams and drone-detection capabilities are among the measures in place, while traffic restrictions have been imposed around the memorial site.
Political leaders attend ceremonies
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul are attending the Ground Zero ceremony.
US Vice President JD Vance is representing the administration in New York, while President Donald Trump is attending a separate memorial event at the Pentagon.
The federal government is also represented at the Pennsylvania site where Flight 93 crashed.
New questions over post-attack health risks
This year's anniversary also coincides with the release of more than 170,000 pages of municipal records concerning air quality and environmental conditions following the collapse of the Twin Towers.
The documents have renewed questions about what authorities knew regarding asbestos and other hazardous pollutants, and how quickly residents, rescue workers and volunteers were informed about potential health risks.
Drone tribute over New York Harbor
On the eve of the anniversary, a drone display titled "2,977 Lights Over New York Harbor" illuminated the skyline.
A total of 2,977 drones, one for each person killed in the attacks, formed the outline of the Twin Towers above the harbour in a tribute marking the 25th anniversary of the tragedy.
Source: ERT
