In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, people across the country and around the world reacted with shock and grief, while authorities in the U.S. acted swiftly to secure public buildings and landmarks seen as potential targets, in case another incident was yet to come.

United States airspace was shut down within an hour of the first attack, with planes in the air required to land at the nearest airport, and other all flights cancelled, stranding thousands of passengers in terminals across the country. At Sea-Tac airport, 119 passenger jets and 14 cargo jets were grounded on September 11, and roads into and out of the airport were closed except for Metro buses.

Here, Phyllis Prather of Seattle reacts as she listens to the news of the attack on the radio with other stranded Sea-Tac passengers. Prather had been headed to Los Angeles to visit a sick friend when all flights were cancelled.

Caption information source: "Swift response in Northwest" by Margaret Taus, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 11, 2001, p. 7.