Czech Pavel Hlava on capturing unique images of 9/11
Czech man Pavel Hlava captured on video both the first and second planes hitting the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001. It was only some time later that the he realised the importance of his footage.
In 2001, Pavel Hlava was working in New York as a maintenance man. On September 11, he and a colleague, Mike Cohen, were heading to Pennsylvania for work. As they drove, Hlava was using a video camera to take shots of NYC out of the window of their vehicle.
A quarter century later, he recalls that day.
“When I filmed the first plane, I didn’t even realise what was happening, as I was filming with my small camera. We drove into Battery Tunnel and Mike had the radio on. They started reporting that something had happened. I told him, ‘Hurry up and get out of here, I’ve got the camera, I’ll film it.’ We stopped, and a second plane flew over our heads a few minutes later. Then there was a huge bang.”
The planes hit the Twin Towers from opposite sides, and the fact Pavel Hlava had captured both in one recording was unique. However, he was unaware of this at the time.
“Later I lived with a friend who worked with computers. He borrowed the tape and noticed that the first plane was also visible. We had a Czech community in New York, and I would occasionally lend the VHS to people. I even gave copies as birthday presents. Czechs passed it around and made copies until, two years later, it found its way to a photographer, Walter Karling. And it was he who realised the recording’s value – that no one else had both planes captured on a single recording.”
The footage was later bought by the TV station ABC, while the FBI also requested a copy, which Hlava says they used to determine such things as the speed and altitude of the planes.
When the Brno man returned to his native country he set up a bar, which he named Twins.
Now, with 25 years having passed since the 9/11 attacks, Pavel Hlava has returned to the Big Apple. But he spoke to Radio Prague International shortly before his trip.
“I watch it on TV every year, but I thought to myself that after 25 years, I’d like to be there in person. When I was there shortly after the attacks, there was still just a huge hole, rubble, and everything was fenced off. A lot has changed since then. I’d like to visit the memorial and experience the atmosphere of that place. And I have one more major goal – to go up the new One World Trade Center building.”
