The US Coast Guard put out the call to all boats in the area to help rescue people off the island of Manhattan on September 11, 2001. Within minutes hundreds of boats of all shapes, sizes and purpose from tugboats to party boats to ferries descended upon the lower Manhattan pier to help evacuate more than half a million people trapped after the collapse of the twin towers. There was no training, no rehearsal just Americans doing what the could do in the face of catastrophe. They rescued more people in nine hours than were rescued from Dunkirk during WWII in 9 days.
“Tom Hanks narrates the epic story of the 9/11 boatlift that evacuated half a million people from the stricken piers and seawalls of Lower Manhattan. Produced and directed by Eddie Rosenstein. Eyepop Productions, Inc.
“BOATLIFT was executive produced by Stephen Flynn and Sean Burke and premiered on September 8th at the 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Summit: Remembrance/Renewal/Resilience in Washington. The Summit kicked off a national movement to foster community and national resilience in the face of future crises. See www.road2resilience.org to become a part of the campaign to build a more resilient world. The film was made with the generous support by philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, Chairman Emerita, TotalBank (www.arsht.com)”
