Summary

  1. Families begin reading names of 9/11 victimspublished at 13:56 BST 11 September

    People read the names of loved one lost during a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center at the National 9/11 Memorial & MuseumImage source, Getty Images

    The reading of the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks has begun.

    The names are being read by relatives of the victims as the cello is played in the background on this cloudy morning in Manhattan.

  2. A solemn gathering in New York as the first of seven bells ringspublished at 13:55 BST 11 September

    Grace Eliza Goodwin
    Reporting from the 9/11 Memorial in New York

    Crowd gathered in New York street

    As the first of seven bells rang out a short while ago, honouring the first plane that hit the North Tower, large crowds of people gathered solemnly just outside barricades surrounding the 9/11 Memorial, and in a nearby park.

    The area was quiet, apart from the chatter of police radio and a wailing ambulance in the distance.

  3. Former presidents pictured at scene of memorial in New Yorkpublished at 13:50 BST 11 September

    Obamas at scene in New York
    Image caption,

    Barack Obama and Michelle Obama greet people at the ceremony

    A short while ago, we caught a glimpse of former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama in New York ahead of today's ceremony.

    They were seen accompanied by former First Ladies Jill Biden and Michelle Obama.

    Biden was also pictured talking to former President George W Bush, the sitting president at the time of the 9/11 attacks.

    Bidens at scene in New York
    Image caption,

    Joe Biden and Jill Biden wait for the start of the ceremony next to George Bush and Laura Bush

  4. New York observes first moment of silence at time plane hit first towerpublished at 13:47 BST 11 September

    The 9/11 National Memorial in Manhattan has just heard its first bell ring, prompting a moment of silence across the assembled crowd.

    This marks the exact minute the first plane, Flight 11, hit the World Trade Center's North Tower on 11 September 2001.

  5. Ceremony begins in New York as US remembers 9/11 victims 25 years onpublished at 13:43 BST 11 September
    Breaking

    The annual memorial for the 11 September attacks is now taking place in New York, at the original site where the Twin Towers once stood.

    We'll bring you key moments here, and you can also watch live by pressing the play button above.

  6. Vice-President JD Vance arrives at memorialpublished at 13:43 BST 11 September

    JD Vance walks through a crowd of people at the 9/11 memorial

    US Vice-President JD Vance has also just arrived at the 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York.

    He attends today without President Donald Trump, who is speaking at separate ceremony that will be held at the Pentagon later today.

  7. New York governors and Secretary Howard Lutnick arrivepublished at 13:38 BST 11 September

    As we wait for the ceremony to get under way, we've just seen some more New Yorkers and elected officials arriving, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo and current Governor Kathy Hochul.

    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is also there, seen wiping away tears at the memorial.

    Lutnick was dropping off his son on his first day of kindergarten on 9/11, avoiding the attacks that killed all of his 658 colleagues - including his brother Gary - who were working on the 101st to 105th floors of the World Trade Center at Cantor Fitzgerald.

    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wipes away tearsImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick lost hundreds of colleagues and his brother in the attacks

    New York Governor Kathy HochulImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    New York Governor Kathy Hochul wears a pin to honour 9/11 victims

    Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo attends 9/11 ceremonyImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has just arrived at the ceremony

  8. 'Every year I climb 110 flights of stairs to honour 9/11 firefighters'published at 13:28 BST 11 September

    Grace Eliza Goodwin
    Reporting from the 9/11 Memorial in New York

    Man in blue FDNY t-shirt and grey baseball cap

    Taylor Blythe, 26, was just one year old on 11 September 2001.

    “A lot of us were just kids when it happened. We didn't really realize the impact it would have on us until we got older,” he says.

    Growing up in Iowa, Blythe says he fell in love with the fire service, inspiring him to learn more about firefighters’ sacrifice on 9/11, and after.

    “Guys just going to work, doing what they do, climbing up 110 flights, knowing that they're probably gonna die, but if they can save somebody, then that's just part of their job,” he says.

    “That's why every year I climb 110 flights of stairs to honour them.”

    Now, he serves as a volunteer firefighter.

  9. Running a marathon a day to 'say thanks and remember'published at 13:20 BST 11 September

    Grace Eliza Goodwin
    Reporting from the 9/11 Memorial in New York

    Man in red jumper holding a large American flag. He is on a busy New York street

    James Stanley, 41, is part of a group of runners who together ran from Shanksville, Pennsylvania to the Pentagon in Virginia to the Twin Towers in New York City - all the sites planes where the four planes crashed on 11 September 2001.

    The total trip, organised by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, clocks in at 485 miles (780km), run in multiple legs by participants over the course of several days. Stanley himself ran 125 of those miles - approximately one marathon per day.

    As a Navy veteran of 17 years, Stanley says this is “just my way of saying thanks and remembering”.

    Stanley was in high school when the 9/11 attacks happened, and he remembers watching the TV in utter disbelief after a plane hit the North Tower.

    At first, he says, he thought it must have been an accident, until he saw the second plane hitting the South Tower.

    He says he wants younger generations to remember that “a lot of heroes died that day".

  10. 'Light triumphs even on the darkest of days': European leaders pay tributepublished at 13:12 BST 11 September

    A close shot of French President Emmanuel MacronImage source, Getty Images

    Away from New York, leaders from across the world have also been paying their respects to those that died in the 11 September attacks.

    • French President Emmanuel Macron writes on social media that the day remains "etched in the world's memory"
    • Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni writes in her statement that "Today's anniversary reminds us that democracy and security are not taken-for-granted achievements. They are pillars of our civilization, which we have the duty to preserve together"
    • Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, also shares her sentiments, recalling how "25 years ago, the world stood still". She adds: "Where the Twin Towers once stood, two columns of light now rise into the New York sky. They remind us that light triumphs even on the darkest of days"
  11. Mamdani, Giuliani, and New York leaders arrive ahead of ceremonypublished at 13:07 BST 11 September

    Former and current New York leaders and officials have begun arriving at the 9/11 Memorial plaza of the World Trade Center ahead of the commemoration ceremony (which gets under way at 8:30 ET/12:30 BST).

    Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who led the city's response to the 11 September attacks, have all been seen arriving.

    Zohran MamdaniImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani arrives at the 9/11 ceremony

    Rudy GiulianiImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani - who led the city at the time of the attacks - pays tribute to the victims

    Representative Alexandria Ocasio-CortezImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is attending the ceremony as well

    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attends ceremonyImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is in attendance

  12. A sombre, reverent atmosphere in New York this morningpublished at 13:04 BST 11 September

    Grace Eliza Goodwin
    Reporting from the 9/11 Memorial in New York

    A man pauses in front of the 9/11 memorial, and etches a sketch on a piece of paperImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A steady flood of people have been gathering at the 9/11 Memorial in New York throughout the morning

    It’s an unusually quiet morning near the 9/11 Memorial in downtown Manhattan. The sombre, reverent atmosphere feels palpable.

    Streets are closed off several blocks outward from the memorial, where the 25th anniversary commemoration ceremony will be held. Onlookers and mourners can be seen standing near the gates, and there’s a large police presence.

    In a nearby park, dozens of men in uniform are gathered, quietly chatting with friends and family.

    Nearby, a large group of people wearing “United We Run” shirts hold up American flags.

    Still, commuters and food stand workers are going about their day in the midst of the quiet gatherings around them.

    A group of people with flags and t-shirts with the words 'United We Run' on them
  13. Obamas thank first responders and those who made 'ultimate sacrifice' in warspublished at 12:57 BST 11 September

    Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have also just released a statement to commemorate those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in the aftermath.

    "If you were young in 2001, or weren’t even born yet, it can be hard to imagine what 9/11 felt like," they write in the statement. "The heartbreak of the families whose loved ones were taken with such swiftness and cruelty."

    The former president and first lady say that they were "remembering those we lost that day, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the wars that followed".

    "And we hope Americans everywhere remember the true lesson of 9/11: that we can survive even our darkest days as long as we move forward as one nation and one people," they add.

  14. 'We will never forget': White House releases statement commemorating 'heroes' of 9/11published at 12:51 BST 11 September

    The White House has just released a statement on social media, saying a quarter of a century has passed since the "peace of our Nation was shattered by terrorists".

    "Today, we remember the 2,977 precious lives taken from us, honor the heroes who answered the call, & keep their families in the heart of our Nation," the post on X reads.

    "Above all, we must ensure the memory of 9/11 never fades, but is carried from one generation of Americans to the next. We will never forget," the post says.

  15. Recap: Memorial events under way as world remembers 9/11published at 12:46 BST 11 September

    Katie Williams
    Live reporter

    Memorial event in London
    Image caption,

    The memorial event under way in London

    Today marks 25 years since the 9/11 attacks that killed 2,977 people.

    Memorial events are taking place on both sides of the Atlantic, with commemorations already having taken place at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

    Earlier, PM Andy Burnham paid tribute to those killed, including 67 Britons, saying: "I know the grief is still felt just as deeply today".

    Ceremonies in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington will begin shortly at 08:30 EDT (12:30 GMT, 13:30 BST), remembering those who died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and when hijacked Flight 93 crashed in a field in Shanksville.

    The thousands who have died from illnesses related to dust and smoke in the years since 9/11 will also be specially remembered, with a new moment being added to the New York ceremony. Six bell tolls - commemorating the moment each plane crashed and tower fell - will be increased to seven.

    We've been sharing accounts from families and survivors throughout the day.

    Janice Brooks says the "horror film" scream of a woman hit by debris as they escaped the South Tower "lives in [her] head", while terminally-ill photographer Paul Berriff says he "thought [he'd] done well" by escaping that day until he was diagnosed three years ago with pulmonary fibrosis.

  16. British firefighters travel to US for memorial stair climbpublished at 12:39 BST 11 September

    Fire Department of New York (FDNY) firefighters gather outside the FDNY Ten House at Ground ZeroImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    FDNY firefighters have begun arriving at the 9/11 Memorial plaza ahead of observances

    More than 1,200 firefighters from across the world climbed 110 floors - the same height of the World Trade Center towers - to honour the US firefighters who died in the attacks and aftermath on 11 September 2001.

    Several participants were from the UK. The firefighters were in their full uniform and equipment for the climb during humid 27C (80.6F) temperatures at the Atlanta Braves stadium.

    Most of the 343 firefighters who died were killed when the towers collapsed.

    "To see a plane going into a building and still go in and not know what you're going to find, that's unmatched, that sort of bravery," firefighter Beth Jones of Herefordshire, said ahead of the climb.

    Read more of our coverage here.

  17. The fire crew who refused to give uppublished at 12:35 BST 11 September

    We're continuing to bring you more memories of the people who experienced the 9/11 attacks, including Jay Jonas, a New York firefighter.

    Jonas and his crew were heading down the North Tower after the South Tower collapsed during the 9/11 attacks, when they found Josephine Harris.

    As they arrived at the fourth floor, Harris fell and told him: "Leave me, get away from me, don't touch me."

    In the video below, Jonas describes the moment he made what has been described as a "monumental decision".

  18. King Charles III and Queen Camilla paid tribute to victims on state visitpublished at 12:30 BST 11 September

    Michael Bloomberg, King Charles and Queen Camilla look at a bouquet of flowersImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, chairman of the National September 11 Memorial, King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend a ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial during a state visit on 29 April 2026

    King Charles III and Queen Camilla recently paid tribute to the victims of the 11 September attacks while on their state visit to the US.

    The royal couple visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York and laid flowers at the South Tower Memorial Pool.

    A handwritten note said: "We honour the memory for those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001.

    "We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people and in the face of their profound loss. Charles R Camilla.”

    They were welcomed by memorial chairman and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and current Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who we just heard from.

    The King and Queen had conversations with first responders, representatives of charities who have supported the families of victims and educational groups who are preserving the memory of what happened in 2001.

    Read more about the King and Queen’s visit to New York

  19. Mamdani pays tribute to those killed on New York's 'darkest day'published at 12:26 BST 11 September

    New York City Mayor Zohran MamdaniImage source, Reuters

    New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has paid tribute to those killed in the 9/11 attacks, as well as the "first responders, office workers and strangers who ran toward danger to help each other".

    Writing on X, he calls on people to "remember the extraordinary compassion, resilience and bravery" that carried New York through its "darkest day".

    A video message shared with his post describes 11 September as a "day of immeasurable loss", with Mamdani adding that New Yorkers have an "obligation" to those who died to "care for one another" and "build a city worthy of their courage".

  20. A terrace top view of the 9/11 memorial in Manhattanpublished at 12:20 BST 11 September

    Pratiksha Ghildial
    Reporting from Manhattan

    Overlooking a square covered in trees

    As preparations get under way for the ceremony here at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, we even hear bagpipes in the background.

    Several NYPD vehicles have cordoned off the area and fire trucks are also present.

    This year the museum says it wants to remind the younger generations about these attacks and the importance of not letting it becoming a distant memory of the past.

    Its website reads: "As we commemorate this anniversary, a new generation will learn about the unimaginable loss we experienced and the inspiring stories of bravery, compassion, unity, and service that we witnessed, and have rippled through the decades."

    Trees outside 9/11 memorial museum