DNA Fails to Find 1,100 9/11 Victims

The city medical examiner’s office says it has exhausted all efforts to identify the remains of those killed at the World Trade Center, confirming the heartbreaking truth for the many Sept. 11 families who wanted something to bury.

In the 3 1/2 years since the attack, forensic scientists have identified the remains of about 1,600 people killed in the terrorist attack. But the families are now being told that the limits of DNA technology have been reached, leaving more than 1,100 victims unidentified.

Nearly 10,000 unidentified parts have been freeze-dried and vacuum-sealed for preservation in case advances in forensic technology someday enable scientists to identify the remains.

“I feel very gratified that we got as far as we did, given the quality of the DNA that we had to work with,” said Robert Shaler, director of forensic biology. “We know there’s still some DNA there in some of these remains ... but we need other techniques to get at it, and when that happens we’ll have someone on the job to look for new identifications.”