New York commemorates 25 years since 9/11 with drone tribute

On the night of September 9, 2026, the skyline of New York Harbor was illuminated by a drone display titled "2,977 Lights over New York Harbor," marking two days before the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A total of 2,977 drones were used to recreate the silhouette of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers at their original architectural scale, with each light representing a victim of the attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda. The event was held in conjunction with the traditional "Tribute in Light" beams.

The project was developed as a community effort, involving families of the victims, survivors, and first responders, including individuals such as former FDNY responder Brenda Berkman and Tim Brown. Organizers described the event as a free public tribute focused on reflection and unity. While some participants expressed that the display served as a powerful moment of memorial, others noted that the sight of the towers reforming and then fading was emotionally difficult and served as a painful reminder of the tragedy that reshaped global security.