On September 11, 2001, Sydney woman Penny saw American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower of the World Trade Centre from her hotel window across the road. She shares her story and photos for the first time.
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I was staying in the Millennium Hilton Hotel, directly across the road from the twin towers on Church Street. I was standing at the window taking photos of the view when I heard the sound of the plane approaching. It seemed normal at first until in a few split seconds it turned into a roar, followed by a massive explosion. I'm sure as I can be that whoever was flying that jet put it in full throttle just before it hit, as the screech sounded just like when a plane is taking off.
I'm sure as I can be that whoever was flying that jet put it in full throttle just before it hit, as the screech sounded just like when a plane is taking off.
I watched at the window while the enormity of the disaster began to unfold, watched as we realised people were trapped on the floors above the explosion, as fire and police rescuers streamed into the building.
People were throwing whatever they could out of the windows - tables, water coolers etc. - to break the glass and get air. I could see them hanging out of windows, then to my horror I realised people were beginning to jump to their death rather than being burned alive. What a terrible choice to have to make. And there was nothing I, or as it turned out, anyone else, could do to help.
I saw what I'm pretty sure was a policeman killed by a person who fell on him.
We were told to stay in the building as there was a lot of falling debris, massive pillars, all sorts of things, paper like a ticker-tape parade.
I switched on the television to see if there was anything on the news. Up until that point I thought it was an accident. Then suddenly as I watched it live, like millions of other people, I heard the second plane come screaming in.
The explosion was a lot bigger and closer and our building shook. I suddenly realised something was very wrong. For some bizarre reason I thought there must be something wrong with air traffic control and they didn't realise they were directing the planes into downtown Manhattan.
My instinct was to run - I didn't get dressed, I didn't grab anything, I escaped in the hotel bathrobe...
Either way I knew I had to get out because we could well be next in line and I didn't want to be leaping to my death from a 60-storey building like those poor people I had tragically just witnessed.
My instinct was to run - I didn't get dressed, I didn't grab anything, I escaped in the hotel bathrobe and only took my camera as it was still in my hand and I hadn't thought to put it down.
People came streaming out of their rooms, panicked and fighting to get into the lift, which was packed by now. An announcement came over the loudspeaker to evacuate immediately. It seemed like an eternity for the elevator to get down to the ground because it stopped at every floor and people were pushed back as they tried to crush their way in.
In the foyer we were ushered out a side door and I was grateful I had grabbed my sandals, as there was debris on the ground.
We ran up a side street and I recall being astonished that people were just standing there, mesmerised by what they were seeing. I've thought about why since then and I think they were so shocked to see those buildings, which were so familiar to them and part of the New York landscape, attacked and burning. It was personal to them.
But my every instinct was to get as far away from the towers and all the other buildings as I could. I ran down to Battery Park, where I had caught the Statue of Liberty ferry the day before. On the streets people were standing around people with mobile phones getting updates and we heard there were more planes hijacked and on the way.
And then a short time later the next tower fell. It was too much to take in. All we could do was cover our faces from the dust, sit and wait to see what was going to happen next.
I had only been on a wharf near Battery Park for a relatively short time when I heard another massive explosion and saw a huge cloud of dust coming our way.
It was incomprehensible that one of the towers had fallen down but we pretty soon understood that's what happened. And then a short time later the next tower fell. It was too much to take in. All we could do was cover our faces from the dust, sit and wait to see what was going to happen next.
Thousands of people were on foot escaping across the bridges but it just seemed too exposed if there were more attacks so I waited by the river thinking at least I could swim for it if necessary.
Eventually a police boat came and evacuated us from Manhattan. I was given shelter for a couple of nights by a Wall Street banker I had met who had just lost dozens of friends. I was stuck in New York for almost two weeks before I could get a flight home.
I've been back to New York twice now, I still love it and feel a close bond with the people, who we shared such a tragic time with in the days after the attack.
I've tried to connect with other Australians who were there on that day and will be attending the interfaith memorial service at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on the 10th anniversary of the attack.
Eyewitness accounts
Penny is one of dozens of people who have shared their personal accounts of September 11 with ABC News Online.
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