9/11 victim identified nearly 25 years later through breakthrough new technique, officials say
An adult woman has become the first 9/11 victim identified using a new technique.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner used what it calls forensic investigative genetic genealogy, or FIGG, in collaboration with researchers at the NYPD.
The woman's family requested her name be withheld.
City officials said she's the latest identification of a World Trade Center victim since last August.
Nearly 1,100 victims - about 40% of those who died - are still unidentified. Some 1,654 victims have been identified thus far.
The announcement comes just weeks before New York City and the world mark 25 years since the 9/11 attacks.
"As we approach the 25th anniversary of the horrific September 11 attacks, we honor the nearly 3,000 people whose lives were stolen that day, and we remain committed to the families who have spent 25 years waiting for answers," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. "The identification of this victim through forensic investigative genetic genealogy is a powerful example of what is possible when we pair cutting-edge technology with an unwavering commitment to those we lost. We will continue to work until every possible answer is found and every family that has been waiting can have the clarity and closure they deserve."
"A quarter century after the day that forever changed our world, we are keeping the promise to identify those who died at the World Trade Center in 2001 and return them to their loved ones," Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham said. "This sacred commitment is propelled by our dedication to apply the most innovative scientific techniques, and FIGG represents a promising new addition to our toolkit. Thanks to this collaboration with the NYPD Investigative Genetic Genealogy Squad, we are generating identification leads that otherwise might not have been possible."
