Nearly 25 years after the 9/11 attacks, New York's Office of Chief Medical Examiner continues efforts to identify the remains of more than 1,000 victims from the World Trade Center who have never been formally identified, including firefighter Dennis Scauso, whose daughter Juliette has only ever had his damaged helmet as a physical trace of him. The office recently identified its 1,654th victim using a new technique called forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG), offering renewed hope to families still waiting for answers.

Of the 2,753 people who died at the World Trade Center, around 60% have so far been identified, a process complicated by severe damage to remains from the crashes and jet-fuel fires, as well as confusion caused by first responders swapping gear during the chaotic response. DNA technology has enabled 1,495 identifications to date, with officials continually retesting preserved remains as forensic techniques improve; last year three further victims were identified through DNA analysis 24 years on. By contrast, all 40 victims of United Airlines Flight 93 were identified, while five of the 184 Pentagon victims remain unidentified.