NEW YORK (AP) -- A 5-foot-tall piece of landing gear believed to be from one of the planes destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks has been discovered wedged between a mosque site and another building near the World Trade Center.
The part includes a clearly visible Boeing identification number, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said Friday. The twisted, rusted metal part has cables and levers on it and is about 3 feet wide and 1.5 feet deep.
Update: Friday, April 26, 2013 - 6:06 p.m. ET:
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne Statement:
A part of a landing gear, apparently from one of the commercial airliners destroyed on September 11, 2001, has been discovered wedged between the rear of 51 Park Place and the rear of the building behind it, 50 Murray Street, in lower Manhattan. The NYPD is securing the location as it would a crime scene, documenting it photographically and restricting access until the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner completes its health and safety evaluation protocol, after which a decision will be made concerning sifting the soil for possible human remains.
The aircraft part will not be removed until the process is completed, at which point it will secured by the NYPD Property Clerk. The part includes a clearly visible Boeing identification number. The investigation into the find began after surveyors hired by the property owner who were inspecting the rear of 51 Park Place on April 24 called 911 at approximately 11 a.m. to report what they identified as apparent damaged machinery behind the building there.
Update: Friday, April 26, 2013 - 7:28 p.m. ET:
NYPD just confirmed that pieces found blocks away from Ground Zero are from a Boeing jet http://t.co/Te23b4CZhp (@Photog4NY)
NYPD just confirmed that pieces found blocks away from Ground Zero are from a Boeing jet http://t.co/Te23b4CZhp (@Photog4NY)-- BuzzFeed News
Update: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 - 4:03 a.m. ET:
Debris near WTC site ID'd as wing piece
A chunk of airplane debris found near the World Trade Center site that is believed to have come from one of the jetliners hijacked in the 9/11 attacks has been identified as a piece from a 767 wing, officials said Monday.