9/11 attack anniversary: Timeline of biggest terrorist attacks on the U.S.

September 11, 2017  marks the 16th anniversary of the Islamic terrorist attacks on the United States that claimed more than 2,977 lives.

The terror attack on the United States which still shocks the country was carried out by 19 Fidayeen attackers.

On September 11, 2001, Americans encountered the fury of radical Islamist violence. The U.S. government had long been familiar with Islamic terrorist groups like al-Qaida and the Taliban but never had thought that the country will be a target of radical Islamic terrorism.

American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. While, American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.

United Airlines Flight 93 headed towards Washington, D.C., but was crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers tried to take control of the flight from the hijackers.

Minute by minute timeline of 9/11, 2001

American Airlines Flight 11 — a Boeing 767 —  with 92 people aboard takes off from Logan International Airport, Boston, en route to Los Angeles.

#8:14 am

United Airlines Flight 175 — a Boeing 767 — with 65 people aboard takes off from Boston also en route to Los Angeles.

#8:19 am

Flight attendants aboard American Airlines Flight 11 alert that the plane has been hijacked. FBI alerted.

#8:20 am

American Airlines Flight 77 — a Boeing 757 — takes off from Dulles International Airport, on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. The Flight 77 is headed to Los Angeles with 64 people aboard.

#8:24 am

Hijacker Mohammed Atta makes the first of two accidental transmissions from Flight 11 to ground control.

#8:40 am

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)’s Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) alerted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the suspected hijacking of Flight 11.

NEADS assigns two fighter planes located at Cape Cod’s Otis Air National Guard Base to locate and tail Flight 11.

#8:41 am

United Airlines Flight 93 — a Boeing 757 — takes of Newark International Airport en route to San Francisco. The Boeing was boarded with 44 people.

#8:46 am

Mohammed Atta and the other hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 11 crash the Boeing into floors 93-99 of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Everyone on board and hundreds inside the building were killed.

#8:47 am

Port Authority Police Department officials begin evacuation of the North Tower. NYPD and FDNY forces dispatch units dispatched to the World Trade Center for rescue operations.

#8:50 am

Andrew Card, White House Chief of Staff,  alerts President George W. Bush that a Boeing has hit the World Trade Center. The president was on his visit to an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida.

#9:02 am

Port Authority officials broadcast orders to evacuate both towers via the public address system.

#9:03 am

United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into floors 75-85 of the WTC’s South Tower by hijackers All on board killed and along with hundreds inside the building.

#9:08 am

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bans all takeoffs of flights going to New York City or passing through the airspace around the city.

#9:21 am

All bridges and tunnels in and around New York City closed by the Port Authority. The Port Authority closes all bridges and tunnels in the New York City area.

#9:24 am

NEADs notified by FAA about suspected hijacking of Flight 77 after a few passengers on board alert family members.

#9:31 am

President Bush speaking from Florida calls the events in New York City an “apparent terrorist attack on our country.”

#9:37 am

Flight 77 crashed into the western façade of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. All 59 aboard the Boeing along with 125 military and civilian personnel inside the building killed.

#9:42 am

FAA grounds all flights to continental United States. Around 3,300 commercial flights and 1,200 private planes are guided to airports in Canada and the United States over the next two-and-a-half hours.

#9:45 am

White House and U.S. Capitol building are evacuated.

#9:59 am

South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.

#10:07 am

Passengers and crewmembers of Flight 93 on learning the terrorist attacks in NEw York and Washington make an attempt to retake the flight control. The hijackers after the attack by board passengers crash the Boeing into a field Somerset County in Pennsylvania. All 40 passengers on board were killed.

#10:28 am

102 minutes after the crash, World Trade Center’s North Tower collapses.

#1:00  pm

President Bush announces U.S. military forces on high alert worldwide.

#2:51 pm

U.S. Navy dispatches missile destroyers to New York and Washington, D.C.

#5:20 pm

World Trade Center collapses after burning for hours. No casualties as the building was evacuated in the morning. Rescue workers to flee for their lives.

#8:30 pm

President Bush addresses the nation, calling the attacks “evil, despicable acts of terror”.