This is the 20th Anniversary of September `11, 2001 when planes crashed in the World Trade Center, What is not known is how 500,000 people were taken off Lower Manhattan Island by a volunteer flotilla of boats that just showed up to help the refugees / commuters from the tower collapse.

The Coast Guard put out a request for vessels to help evacuate people from Lower Manhattan, in response a motley mix of tugs, tour boats, ferries and others came steaming over the horizon to help. Sometimes the dust from the towers was so thick the boats had to feel their way with radar in zero/zero visibility.

Below is a very nice video made on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I have watched it several times and always get a bit choked up.

The Maritime Heroes of 9/11 is the Back Story of the 9/11 Boat Lift as told last year by the people that were there, presented by the New York Council Navy League and Transportation Institute, highly recommended.

Thanks for your interest in ans support of boating safety

 – c / m –

The Untold 9/11 Boat Lift or How They evacuated 500,000 People Safely Off Lower Manhattan Island in Eight Hours