9/11 victim’s remains identified nearly 16 years later

FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2001 file photo, as seen from the New Jersey Turnpike near Kearny, N.J., smoke billows from the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York after airplanes crashed into both towers. Saudi Arabia and its allies are warning that legislation allowing the kingdom to be sued for the 9/11 attacks will have negative repercussions. The kingdom maintains an arsenal of tools to retaliate with, including curtailing official contacts, pulling billions of dollars from the U.S. economy, and enlisting its lockstep Gulf allies to scale back counterterrorism cooperation, investments and U.S. access to important regional air bases. (AP Photo/Gene Boyars, File)

By Associated Press August 7, 2017 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) — The remains of a man killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11 have been identified nearly 16 years after the attacks.

The New York City medical examiners’ office announced the finding Monday. The agency withheld the man’s name, citing a request from his family.

It’s the first new identification made since March 2015 in the ongoing effort. Medical examiners use DNA testing and other means to try to match bone fragments to the 2,753 people killed by the hijackers who crashed airplanes into the trade center’s twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001.

Remains of 1,641 victims have been identified so far. That means 40 percent of those who died have yet to have any remains identified.

The new identification was made through DNA.