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CNN Live Event/Special

America Under Attack: New York in Second Day After Attack

Aired September 13, 2001 - 05:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We move on now with more on the search, in fact, and the investigation with the FBI. The work of searching through the massive debris is going on.

Of course, and CNN's Garrick Utley joins us live from New York with the latest situation there -- good morning again, Garrick.

GARRICK UTLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Carol.

The rescue is under way. It's taking place there at the lower end of Manhattan. I think this scene is quite familiar to all of us right now and you can still see that plume of smoke, some fires still burning there in the region, as well as dust from the rescue effort.

The workers there, by the way, are working 12 hour shifts. This is a 24-7 operation and 12 hour shifts and they are exhausted but they're being cycled in and out and there's no let up. And as you indicated, much of this work is being done very slowly and very carefully, that in addition to the large pieces of concrete when they move them, they're going through the dust and the rubble. It's being taken out by the bucket full, by the pail full, to make sure that no evidence is lost and looking also for personal remains and possessions, to be quite frank.

A moment ago you were showing us some of the scenes of candlelight vigils across the country, many of them. It's a very moving sight, of course. And there was also one here in New York City in Washington Square. And those familiar with New York City know Washington Square. It's at the southern end of Fifth Avenue. There's a wonderful late 19th century arch there. It's a popular gathering place in the center, the heart of historic Greenwich Village, which has been known for its poets, its beatniks, its Bohemian way of life, its intellectuals. New York University has a campus around there. And this being New York, from time to time even, yes, the mugger or the drug pusher doing his or her business there.

Well, tonight there was a different atmosphere. People were pulling together, all kinds of people. And we wanted to get an impressionistic look of what it was like there from Thomas Nybo of CNN, a producer who went in with his camera. And this is what he found.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) THOMAS NYBO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They gathered in a classic New York City park which lost its classic view of the World Trade Center's twin towers. They came for different reasons. Some traded stories of how they heard the news.

UNIDENTIFIED CITIZEN: The plane came over my building very low, directly over my building, and I got off the toilet to see it for about four or five seconds wobble and go directly and disappear into the building.

NYBO: Others just needed to get out and be with other New Yorkers.

UNIDENTIFIED CITIZEN: I'm not a joiner and I'm not a group person but I feel a deep need.

NYBO: Some are too young to fully understand the terror while others are in their final years after spending a lifetime in a city that now looks unfamiliar.

UNIDENTIFIED CITIZEN: I'm on my way out and this is their world now. And boy, what I saw today, I am no, not at all worried about this country.

NYBO: Thomas Nybo, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UTLEY: And no doubt there are going to be more of these vigils, candlelight or without candles, across the country for days to come as the waiting continues to see how many possibly could have survived this terrorist attack -- Carol, back to you now.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Garrick Utley, reporting live from New York.

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