Watch CBS News

Chilling Radio Transmissions Released From 9/11 Attacks

BOSTON (CBS) – Radio transmissions from September 11, 2001 were just released and detail the confusion of that day.

The two hours of horror began with American Airlines supervisor Lydia Gonzalez telling her operations center of a chilling phone call from Flight 11.

"The flight attendant is advising our reps that the pilot everyone's been stabbed."

WBZ-TV's Paul Burton reports

A minute later, lead highjacker Mohamed Atta thinking he was talking to passengers was heard over the radio.

"Nobody move everything will be OK. If you try to make any move you injure yourself and airplane."

Minutes later American Airlines 11 hit the north tower of the World Trade Center.

Controllers were then frantically searching for the second missing plane which also took off from Boston. They finally saw United 175 just seconds before its impact.

"Wow...another hit hard .. The whole building just came apart."

Fighter jets had not yet got to Manhattan

"We need to get those fighters over Manhattan cause we don't know how many guys are out of Boston. Could be more"

To the west a third plane American Airlines 77 went missing for more than 30 minutes flying below the radar, taking aim on Washington.

"It looks like that aircraft has impacted the west side of the Pentagon."

In the chaos controllers had no idea how many high jacked planes remained in the air. This is the voice of another highjacker who was trying to talk to the passengers of United 93.

"We have a bomb on board and are going back to the airport and have our demands so please remain quiet."

After the attack two technicians in a government command center tried to put the day into some kind of context.

"Is today like a national terrorist day or something? Actually this is a day we won't forget in a long time. September 11, 2001."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.