Officials say that the piece of airplane debris found near ground zero last week appears to be from one of the planes used in the 9/11 attacks and is part of a 767 wing.
When the 5-foot part was first discovered near the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, it was believed to have come from an aircraft's landing gear. However, a Boeing technician confirmed the piece of debris is actually a trailing edge flap actuation support structure from one of the hijacked jetliners used during the 9/11 attacks, the New York Police Department said.
"It is believed to be from one of the two aircraft destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, but it could not be determined which one," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Monday.
Authorities sectioned off the area where the aircraft part was found as they would a crime scene, but NBC 4 New York reports that a detective compromised the scene by trying to move the wing support that was found in between two buildings.
A piece of rope was found intertwined in the piece of debris, making officials think that someone lowered the part down into the alley.
But after further investigation, it was determined that the detective — one of the first officers on the scene — found the rope nearby and tried to use it to move the part in an attempt to identify any distinct markings.
The city's medical examiner's office, along with police and officials, are preparing to sift the surrounding area where the part was found for human remains.
Officials say the wing support will be removed from the area later this week after they have finished processing the scene.
"It's a manifestation of a horrific terrorist act a block and a half away from where we stand," Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said while visiting the alley Friday.
"It brings back terrible memories to anyone who was here or was involved in that event, and obviously I think the families could very well be impacted by this finding."