It's been over 11 and a half years.
The New York City medical examiner said it has started sifting construction debris from the World Trade Center site in an effort to find any human remains from the 9/11 terrorist attacks where over 2,750 people died. Thus far, 1,634 have been identified.
The work began Monday, and is expected to continue for about 10 Weeks on Staten Island, NY1 and UPI.com reported.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration announced last week the search intended to sift 600 cubic yards of material only recently removed from the Ground Zero site, UPI.com reported.
Members of 9/11 Parents and Families of Firefighters at WTC Victims said that it would wise for "the mayor to come in, appoint an investigator general. Let's get the JPAC [Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command] people from Washington, the federal people who do this for the war heroes, let's do it for our heroes who died on 9/11," Riches said.
"A thousand families have nothing, and we would like to see them all recover something."
Others believe the efforts may bore positive results.
"It's refreshing when you think about a government office or department like the medical examiner to be so caring and compassionate and dedicated to their continuing efforts to identify other victims," Mary Fetchet, who runs the support group Voice of September 11 and whose 24-year-old son Brad died in the attacks, said.
Many families have offered the medical examiner person effects, like their own toothbrushes or combs in hopes their loved one will be identified, unlike the 27 individuals whose remains have been found but have not matched any of the known victims.
"For me at this stage, it's of no importance to me that somewhere in the city of New York there are bits of the physical being that was once Peter," Donald Goodrich, whose 33-year-old son Peter died on United 175 flight said.
"They're there, that science can detect them and then inform me of their detection, is of no solace to me." "There's nothing modern science can do to test for his soul," Goodrich said. "That belongs in another sphere, and that's what's most important to me."
The efforts will take as long as necessary, according to Mayor Bloomberg's office, reported by NY1 and UPI.com.
