- NEW YORK (CNN) --
Terrorists struck the United States Tuesday morning in harrowing, widespread
attacks that included at least three commercial jet crashes into significant
buildings.
-
- * In the first attack, a plane hit the north tower of
the World Trade Center in Manhattan shortly before 9 a.m., followed by
another plane into the second tower about 20 minutes later. Both towers
later collapsed.
-
- * Reports said oen plane appeared to be an American Airlines
Boeing 767 that had been hijacked after take-off from Boston. American
Airlines told CNN that it lost two planes in "tragic accidents,"
one leaving Boston with 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard, and the second
leaving Washington Dulles airport with 58 passengers and six crew aboard.
Both planes were en route to Los Angeles
-
- * About an hour later, a plane crashed into the Pentagon
in Washington, part of which later collapsed.
-
- * United Airlines Flight 93 airliner headed from Newark,
New Jersey, to San Francisco, crashed near Somerset, Pennsylvania -- police
said initial reports indicated no survivors. It was not known if this was
connected to the attacks.
-
- * The Pentagon, the White House, the State Department,
the Justice Department, the Capitol, the CIA and all other government buildings
in Washington evacuated.
-
- * In the first ever national ground stop of aircraft,
all flights nationwide have been stopped at their departure airports.
-
- * All international flights were diverted to Canada.
-
- * Israel has evacuated all its missions around the world.
-
- * President Bush cancelled an appearance in Florida to
return to Washington, calling the crashes "apparent terrorist attacks"
and "a national tragedy."
-
- * In Chicago, the Sears Tower was evacuated; United Nations
in New York evacuated.
-
- * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta
was evacuated. CDC was preparing bioterrorism teams in case they become
necessary.
-
- * The New York Port Authority said it had closed all
bridges and tunnels into the city.
-
- * New York's Bellevue Hospital was designated command
central for handling the catastrophe. Several hospitals have already reported
receiving victims with burns and head injuries.
-
- * U.S. stock markets were closed after the New York attacks.
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