9/11: The Lost Tapes

Newly released audio recordings offer a unique insight and moving perspective on 9/11 and the fateful minutes that changed America forever.

On the morning of the attacks, hundreds of hours of military and air traffic control conversations wereptured on tape painting a chilling and tragic picture of events spiralling inexorably out of control. With events unfolding at breakneck-speed, the tapes reveal in minute-by-minute detail, the chaos and confusion wrought by the attacks.

Revelations include how Air Force fighter jets, scrambled to protect Washington, set out in the wrong direction - ending up 60 miles out across the Atlantic ocean and that permission to shoot down hijacked passenger planes only came through after the last plane crashed.

And while air traffic controllers watched the second plane crash into the World Trade Center tower, fighter jets were still 100 miles away from New York and amid all the confusion it took 39 minutes for the news of United 93's hijack to reach the military.

With testimonies from the people who appear on the tapes, the film vividly conveys the emotion, courage and panic in the voices of air traffic controllers and military personnel whose job it was to protect America as it came under attack.

Channel 4 UK. Originally broadcast April 19, 2012