Half a Million Evacuated by Sea: The 9/11 Boatlift That Saved Manhattan
Nearly 500,000 people were evacuated from Lower Manhattan by sea in just nine hours on September 11, 2001.
When the Twin Towers collapsed on September 11, 2001, Lower Manhattan became a trap for over a million people. With subways shut down, tunnels closed, and streets choked with dust and debris, the only escape was by sea. In a spontaneous act of heroism, hundreds of mariners answered the U.S.
At 8:46 a.m., the first plane struck the North Tower. By 9:03 a.m., the South Tower was hit. Within minutes, then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani ordered the evacuation of everyone south of Canal Street. But for those trapped in Lower Manhattan, escape seemed impossible. The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and New Jersey-bound tunnels were sealed, and the subways had ground to a halt. Thick smoke and falling debris made movement on foot perilous. The only viable route was the waterfront, and the city’s mariners rose to the challenge.
The U.S. Coast Guard, led by then-Lieutenant Mike Day, took charge of the unfolding crisis. With no time to waste, Day issued a radio plea for “all available boats” to assist in the evacuation. Within minutes, ferries, tugs, harbor cruise boats, and even private vessels converged on Lower Manhattan. The response was immediate and overwhelming. NY Waterway ferries alone carried 160,000 people to safety, while another 250-300,000 boarded tugs, cruise boats, and other improvised rescue vessels.
The Coast Guard’s Improvisation Under Fire: That
Lieutenant Mike Day, who coordinated the effort, later recalled the chaos: “We set up three different staging areas because the supplies were coming in so fast and furious that we were running out of room, and we couldn’t distribute them fast enough.".
The Coast Guard’s call for assistance was answered by mariners from all walks of life. Tugboat crews, ferry operators, and even recreational boaters steered their vessels toward the danger zone. Herbert Jones, a tug crewmember, was one of the first to respond. In an interview with local outlet WAVY, Jones described the scene: “There was boats everywhere, it was unbelievable. I learned something about New York that day. They might fight among each other, but when it comes to a day like that they all came together.”
Despite the risks, the evacuation continued into the evening, with volunteer boats returning to Lower Manhattan loaded with relief supplies. The U.S. Coast Guard also played a critical role, dispatching vessels like Patrol Boat Hocking to assist in the effort.
A Legacy of Heroism and the Lessons of 9/11
In the years since, the event has been commemorated in various ways, including the 12-minute documentary Boatlift, narrated by Tom Hanks. The film, based on interviews with mariners who participated in the evacuation, captures the urgency and heroism of that day.
This year, to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Great American Pure Flix, a Christian digital content channel, has released a dramatic reimagining of the boatlift. Titled Boatlift 9/11, the film centers on a fictional mother-daughter tugboat crew, bringing the lesser-known maritime story to a broader audience. U.S. Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel, who honored the merchant mariners on the anniversary, summed up their contribution: “And merchant mariners delivered.
In the years following the attacks, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies have developed protocols to mobilize vessels quickly in the event of another large-scale evacuation. The boatlift also highlighted the importance of coordination between government agencies and private mariners, a partnership that has only grown stronger in the decades since.
For the mariners who participated, the events of 9/11 remain a defining moment in their careers. Many have since retired, but their stories continue to inspire new generations of seafarers. As the 25th anniversary approaches, the maritime community reflects on the heroism of that day, and the enduring legacy of a boatlift that saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
For those interested in learning more, the documentary Boatlift is available online, offering a powerful tribute to the mariners who answered the call on one of America’s darkest days.
Sign up free to ask CAMAL AI for a summary, the key points or anything else about this story.
Related stories
CAMAL AI
Financial Ports Newsletter
The maritime economy, every morning
Ports, shipping and freight markets in one short email. Free.
