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New York hunts for final toll©Associated Press
© St. Petersburg Times, NEW YORK -- After more than a month of cross-checking and detective work, police and city officials think they are closing in on a reliable figure for the number of people missing and dead in the attack on the World Trade Center. They are still far from giving a final toll, but say they have culled most of the duplicated names that have caused the numbers to fluctuate daily, sometimes by hundreds at a time. On Tuesday, the number of missing and dead reported by the city stood at more than 4,700, including those in the trade center and those aboard the two hijacked airliners that crashed into the twin towers. "I think we're in the ballpark," said police Chief Charles Campisi. Still, he cautioned: "The list is in a state of flux and it will continue to be." If anything, the number will drop. For example, Campisi said he expects police will continue to discover that some families who filed early missing-person reports neglected to notify police when loved ones turned up safe. Duplicate missing-person reports and overestimates from some foreign consulates also contribute. The city's total as of Tuesday consisted of 4,339 missing, plus 425 identified dead. The number of missing has jumped, sometimes erratically, while the legwork goes on. The number of missing stood at 5,422 on Sept. 20, only to balloon to 6,453 three days later.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
