Nearly 23 years ago, on 11 September 2001, New York City’s World Trade Centre was tragically attacked when two planes crashed into the Twin Towers. This infamous event led to the loss of almost 3,000 lives, leaving countless others affected and marked by the aftermath of 9/11.
Kei Sugimoto recently discovered footage he’d taken of the Twin Towers collapsing on 9/11
While the second plane’s crash was widely captured and broadcasted live on TV, new, previously unseen footage has been unearthed. Kei Sugimoto has shared what he filmed on that fateful day, revealing a different angle of the collapse of the Twin Towers.
Sugimoto uploaded his footage to YouTube, recorded from the roof of 64 St Marks Place in NYC using a Sony VX2000 with a teleconverter. This video has since gained significant attention on platforms like X, where viewers have been amazed by the ‘new angles of the collapse’ it shows.
One viewer commented, “This footage offers a unique perspective not seen from the south or east. You are watching these angles for the first time ever.” The video shows the towers engulfed in black smoke before their eventual collapse.
Over on Reddit, users have marveled at the discovery. “It’s crazy that we’re almost 23 years out and still getting new footage,” one user remarked. Another wondered, “Makes me think about how much history is being stored in people’s attics or basements waiting to be unearthed.”
In the YouTube comments, Sugimoto explained why he chose to release it now. He revealed, “I was cleaning my closet and found boxes full of Hi-8, Digital-8, and DV tapes. When I tried to play them back, I noticed that about a third of them had demagnetized over time and were either blank or suffering from major data corruption. After learning that video tapes are not immune from age, even when stored in ideal conditions, I began frantically digitizing them. That’s why I’m just uploading the video now.”
Sugimoto mentioned that although he witnessed the second plane crash, he did not film it. He wrote, “If I remember correctly, I ran to get my video camera after seeing the second plane crash, sensing that this was no ordinary accident.”
Many have thanked Sugimoto for sharing this ‘unique perspective,’ appreciating the ‘crystal clear’ yet ‘devastating’ footage.
