Visit to 'Ground Zero'.

• Author: Sorensen, Gillian Martin
• Position: Column

A thousand photographs of the devastation caused by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center do not prepare you for the reality. On 18 September, in expression of condolence as well as recognition that this was an attack that affected the whole world, the UN Secretary-General made a visit to "GROUND ZERO". He came by police boat on the Hudson River, where Governor George Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani met him at water's edge. He exchanged a long hug of grief and solidarity with the Mayor, and was then led along a walk, deep in dust, until we stood before the site.

I could only feel shock and disbelief, and was speechless, dumbfounded. The tall twin towers existed no more, lost in an inferno of fire and smoke. In their place remained a small mountain, about seven stories high, of debris and dust, with skeletal remains of burned steel girders stark against the sky.

A miasma of acrid smoke hovered over all. Two thousand weary firefighters and other rescuers laboured--one thousand rested at the side, the other hauled out dust, fine as powder, in bucket brigades. Further back, huge cranes, earth movers and giant shovels stood ready, but not in use yet.

The rescuers sought in vain for survivors or remains, but there were almost none--6,600 souls buried within, dust to dust. I was appalled at the diabolical and meticulous planning that led to such death and devastation. At the site, order not chaos prevailed, as work proceeded. Emotion and exhaustion were apparent on every face. Many watched the small procession by the Mayor, the Governor and the Secretary-General, some reaching out to shake their hands and thanking them for coming.

The Mayor intently described to the Secretary-General the buildings that were lost, people missing or presumed lost, the rescue and recovery efforts, the 70 nationalities represented among the dead.

The many lives lost included executives and trainees, chefs and lawyers, mail clerks and bond traders, and of course the police and firefighters who rushed in to help and were themselves trapped. There were words about the vanishing moment when those inside realized the end was at hand and called their last desperate messages to loved ones. The Secretary-General listened, sympathized, offered United Nations help and brief words about what the Organization was doing, and inquired about predictions of future security. The visit was brief but profoundly moving and memorable.

Thereafter, the Secretary-General stopped...