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CNN Sunday Morning

Efforts Continue at Ground Zero

Aired September 23, 2001 - 09:12   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to ground zero. Michael Okwu on the streets of Lower Manhattan watching that rescue effort continue again 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Michael, is there progress, and, if so, how do we measure it?

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN NEW YORK: Bill, that is so difficult to say. Progress -- who knows. And, as you mentioned, it is a very quiet Sunday morning here. New Yorkers are awakening to a forecast that reads "sunny and partly cloudy" but as you know from having been down here this part of Lower Manhattan will be cloudy for quite some time.

Now firefighters recovered the body of one of their own yesterday. Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he was so touched by how they all stood to attention at the site of his body and how essentially they treated his remains so gingerly. He has called the rescue efforts here sad and magnificent.

More than 20,000 workers continue sifting through the rubble in 12 hour shifts led by rescue dogs who are often wearing boots to protect their feet.

You're looking at fresh pictures of ground zero now -- a live shot of ground zero. And when I say that this is ground zero it's ground zero to us but so many people in the neighborhood simply refer to it as "the ruins" and why not? Six thousand, three hundred and thirty-three people are missing and presumed dead.

That number should come down we are told. But the number that won't charge is 261 -- at least it won't go down -- that's the number of bodies that have been recovered. They have carted off more than 90,000 tons of debris on more than 6,000 truckloads. It has been a massive undertaking. No one has been recovered alive since September 12th. And, as you know, Bill, that is the day after the attacks.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani himself has said that the day is fast approaching when the experts will say there's absolutely no chance that anyone is alive at this point. Bill?

HEMMER: Michael, yesterday afternoon some reports surfacing here in New York that rescuers might be reaching some areas where air pockets could have -- could possibly -- again, I want to be careful with this -- but could possibly have sustained human life. What are you hearing about those reports thus far today? OKWU: Well, Bill, you correctly say "be careful about it" because so many people here are running on hope. It is providing all of the energy. And there are so many surviving family members who are sort of still guarding and holding onto that hope.

The fact is there are air pockets down below the World Trade Center. There's a large 70-foot deep hole -- essentially it's a big basement and they are hoping that there might be some people there alive. They are not completely confident that people are alive but they are confident they will find more bodies. Bill?

HEMMER: All right, Michael. Michael Okwu again lower end of Manhattan with us here.

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