Flight 265 narrowly avoids crashing into one of the World Trade Center's twin towers in the early 2000s. (TLG: "Pilot")
The World Trade Center (WTC) was a financial building complex located in New York City's Lower Manhattan district.
Built in the early 1970s, the WTC consisted of 7 buildings in total, but was especially famous for its distinct identical Twin Towers, which were the tallest buildings in the U.S. and even the world at one point.
The World Trade Center dominated the New York City skyline and was a prominent symbol of the grandeur of the U.S. which made it a popular target for the country's enemies, such as in 1993 when it was bombed by terrorists. Luckily the buildings survived the bombing, but several people were killed. (TXF: "Squeeze")
The WTC's luck would ultimately run out though several years later in 2001, when it completely destroyed by terrorists in the September 11 attacks, killing thousands of people. (TXF: "My Struggle")
History
1990s
In February 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed by terrorists. The buildings were damaged and several people were killed, but ultimately the buildings themselves survived. FBI agent Marty Neill, an acquaintance of FBI agent Tom Colton, participated in the U.S. government's investigation into the bombing. (TXF: "Squeeze")
2000s
In the early 2000s, commercial airliner Flight 265, a Boeing 727 headed to Boston, nearly crashed into one of the World Trade Center's buildings when its controls were hacked by Bertram Roosevelt Byers in an effort to frame a foreign country and entice the U.S. into a war. Luckily, it narrowly averted collision and survived thanks to the efforts of the Lone Gunmen. (TLG: "Pilot")
In September 2001, terrorists hijacked commercial airliners and piloted them into both of the World Trade Center's "Twin Tower" buildings, setting them ablaze. Both buildings burned for around an hour before completely collapsing and killing thousands of people. At the same time, another plane crashed into the Pentagon in Virginia and another one crashed in a Pennsylvanian field after passengers aboard fought back against the hijackers. The events are often referred to collectively as "9/11", after the date in which they occurred. The attacks led to an increase of the U.S. government's powers, much to Fox Mulder's dismay, in order to ostensibly curb terrorism and prevent future such attacks from happening again. (TXF: "My Struggle")
Appearances
- The X-Files
- "Squeeze" (mentioned)
- "My Struggle" (mentioned)
- "This" (mentioned)
- The Lone Gunmen
- "Pilot"
