John Sammut, originally from Nadur, Gozo works for the World's largest custodian bank at One Wall Street, just four blocks away from where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood. When the South tower collapsed, however, he was much closer...

The following is his experience in his own words:

"I was finishing breakfast at my office at about 8:48 AM when I heard a tremendous explosion like band...my coffee cup and the floor under my chair shook. I immediately jumped up out of concern and within a moment or two, I saw my coworkers running to the outside windows facing northwest and in full view of the World Trade Center. Then a lady in my office screamed out that an airplane hit the north tower (#1) and that the top was on fire. I ran to a window where I had full view of the "twins" and as I staring in full dismay and wondering whether it was an accident or a deliberate act. I Then, approximately 15 minutes later, I saw the second plane coming at an accelerated speed towards the south tower (#2). This plane went straight into the tower, collided and completely penetrated the structure of the tower. Seconds later, a massive, fiery and most horrific explosion burst out of approximately seven floors of the tower.

The bank I work for is four blocks diagonally across (or south east) from the South tower. All employees were evacuated and left the building within 45 minutes from the last explosion. Additionally, the entire Wall Street and Financial Districts were also evacuated at the order of Mayor of New York City. There was mass exodus of people using the roads leading north and east. Nearby highways were packed with evacuees. Additionally numerous boats came to the docks at downtown (Wall Street) and loaded hundreds of evacuees and took them across to the Borough of Queens and Brooklyn as well as New Jersey.

I decided to head northward on Broadway to get to alternate means of transportation and get out of New York City. Being that I like to capture special or unique moments on photographs, I bought a disposable camera from a nearby newsstand to record the state of the 'Twin Towers' as the enemy mortally wounded them. Then I started walking north. I saw thousands of pieces of paper, which were blasted out from the towers by the two respective explosions. Additionally, I saw several shoes, which became projectiles following the explosions, strewn about on the street. I observed hundreds of spectators lining the east side of Broadway looking at the "Twins" in awe and pointing their fingers while making comments.

I had walked up two city blocks and was now under the shadow of the south tower with the Merrill Lynch Plaza on one side and the Marine Midland "Red Block" on the other. I paused for a moment to observe and digest what was going on around me and snapped a picture of the 'Twins' burning. Then, I heard the outcry of dismay from the crowd around me and when I looked up in the direction they were looking, I saw a person who had jumped the north tower coming down to his death. I am told that many other individuals ended their life that way to avoid burning alive. Like most other people, I did not expect the collapse of the Towers.

At this point, I was only one and a half blocks from the 'Twins' when the South tower started collapsing. I, like many others, was trapped by a lot of debris, smoke, ashes and all sorts of debris. The force of the debris (threw) me against a nearby building and then I was pinned there by debris and other people. I had to pull my shirt to use as an air filter and breath through it. The cloud of debris, which was higher than the World trade Center Towers, darkened the area as though it was the middle of the night... this lasted for about 50 min. When the cloud dissipated, I looked around me and saw shoes, briefcases, pocketbooks and other belongings from victims who were in the South tower. However, the most disheartening site was when I saw human body parts in the midst of the debris.

My lungs were partially collapsed from all the Debris I inhaled and my eyes had various lacerations as well. I returned from the hospital yesterday.

The disaster for horrific and my emotions are drained from it all.

I am glad I am alive,

John Sammut
NYC

Maltese tourists return safely from NYC Audio interview with Reggie Schembri who was on holiday in New York City during the attack From MaltaMedia's Wara l-Ahbar [in Maltese] Produced by Martin Debattista, Darrell Pace & Toni Sant Originally broadcast on Monday, 17th September 2001 Interviewer: Martin Debattista Maltese missionary priest shares experience Audio commentary by Rev. Ivan Sciberras who works at Ridgewood, New Jersey, hometown to 10 men reported missing since the WTC collapse Communicated to MaltaMedia by telephone on Monday, 17th September 2001 [in Maltese] The rescue efforts in NYC Malta's Civil Protection Department Director Peter Cordina talks about the rescue efforts in New York from a veteran's rescuer's perspective. Communicated to MaltaMedia by telephone on Monday, 24th September 2001 [in Maltese] Interviewer: Martin Debattista

Updates from the scenes of the attacks and the ongoing investigations
 

Timeline of the tragedy

Detailed moment-by-moment of the devastating attacks and their aftermath
 

Terrorism against the USA

A list of the major terrorist attacks against the United States in recent years.
 

Toni Sant reports from New York City on the World Trade Center terrorist attack First reaction & comments: 48 hours after the attacks: Friday 7pm - candle vigil: Beyond the emotional spectrum: Arabs are not the enemy: Getting back to normal routine: After seven strange days: The hour is coming: Casualty of Maltese descent: Striking back at terror: Rash of anthrax scares:   To hear the webcasts   on this page you need

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