Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Two new victims who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center have been officially identified, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner announced Tuesday.
Dorothy Morgan became the 1,646th of the 2,753 people killed in the attacks to be identified and a man whose name was withheld at the request of his family became the 1,647th person identified through ongoing DNA analysis four days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks.
"Twenty years ago, we made a promise to the families of World Trade Center victims to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to identify their loved ones and with these two new identifications, we continue to fill that sacred obligation," New York City Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara A. Sampson said.
Morgan's identity was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, while the man's remains were recovered in 2001, 2002 and 2006.
The identifications are the first new identifications of World Trade Center victims since October 2019.
The OCME said its recent adoption of "next-generation sequencing technology," which employs more sensitive and rapid techniques, will result in more new identifications.
"We continue to push the science out of necessity to make more identifications," said Mark Desire, assistant director of the OCME Department of Forensic Biology. "The commitment today is as strong as it was in 2001.
To date, 1,106 victims, or about 40% of those who died in the World Trade Center attacks, remain unidentified.
"No matter how much time passes since Sept. 11, 2001, we will never forget and we pledge to use all the tools at our disposal to make sure all those who were lost can be reunited with their families."