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More Than 6,300 Said Missing at WTC
Thursday, September 20, 2001 (17:41 EDT)
By Larry McShane / Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK-- AP
The number of missing in America’s worst terrorist attack soared Thursday to 6,333, with hundreds of foreigners added to the list of victims feared dead beneath the crumbled World Trade Center.

The number had been 5,422 for several days.

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said the sudden jump reflected reports of foreigners buried after two hijacked jetliners brought down the twin towers Sept. 11.

The mayor has said there is little chance of finding anyone alive. The last survivor was found the day after the crashes.

The news was an unwelcome jolt on a day when the city had edged closer to normalcy, with the small steps of children walking back into schools and the return of traffic to the Brooklyn Bridge.

The exception was at ground zero, where rescue workers hunting for survivors toiled in vain for a ninth straight day. Forty U.S. senators toured the site for a firsthand look at the devastation.

Giuliani acknowledged that the 2,000-degree fire caused by the explosions of the two planes and the implosion of the 110-story towers make it likely that some victims will never be recovered.

“Even weeks ahead, while we’re removing stuff, obviously we’re going to be looking,” Giuliani said. “Right now, the possibility still remains. They’re slim, but they still remain.”

According to the mayor, the British consulate said 250 British citizens were missing. He did not provide other numbers, but 63 countries in all are believed to have victims in the rubble.
(AP News Source)
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Dan