Officials Change Way WTC Toll Is Reported
New York City officials said they have changed the way they report the official toll of dead and missing at the World Trade Center in hopes of improving accuracy.
The official count stands at 3,646, which includes people on the ground and those aboard the two hijacked planes that hit the twin towers Sept. 11. The number reflects a drop of more than 250 from the beginning of the week--and close to 3,000 from its high in September.
The city’s new reporting method relies strictly on death certificates and a list of missing people. It replaces a system that included the number of “identified dead,” a category that city officials said led to duplications and contradictions.
The medical examiner’s office has issued 443 death certificates based on identifications made from remains. An additional 1,820 certificates have been issued at the request of victims’ families in a streamlined process that doesn’t require a body.
The remaining 1,383 people in the tally are listed simply as missing--a number likely to drop as death certificates are issued, or duplications and errors are resolved.
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