US president Barack Obama leads commemorations on 14th anniversary of 9/11 attacks

Sebastian Mann11 September 2015

Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama today led a moment's silence at the White House as hundreds of victims' relatives gathered at Ground Zero to mark the 14th anniversary of 9/11.

The US president and his wife stepped out of their official residence at 8.46am, when the first plane hit the north tower, and placed hands over their hearts as a bugler played the Last Post.

At the same time relatives of those killed gathered in New York for commemorations at the scene of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

"We come every year. The crowds get smaller, but we want to be here. As long as I'm breathing, I'll be here," said Tom Acquaviva, 81, who lost his son Paul when the north tower was hit.

Relatives and officials also marked the tragedy with an event at the Pentagon, the site of another attack on September 11, 2001.

A hijacked plane also crashed into a field near Shacksville Pennsylvania, where the Flight 93 National Memorial opened its visitor centre to the public for the first time on Thursday.

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the attacks.

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