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Medical Examiner Begins Sifting WTC Debris For Sept. 11 Remains

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The New York City medical examiner has started sifting construction debris from the World Trade Center site in an effort to find any human remains from the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The work began Monday and is expected to continue for about 10 weeks on Staten Island.

City officials said about 60 truckloads of construction debris from the site have been sent to the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island in the last 2 1/2 years.

Sifting Of WTC Debris For Sept. 11 Remains Begins

Since 2006, the sifting technology led to 34 additional positive identifications.

A total of 2,753 men and women were killed when terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Only 1,634 -- or about six in 10 -- have been identified.

Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway said in a memo Friday that DNA testing will continue until every possible identification can be made.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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