Sept 11 victim cries for help in audio tapes

NEW YORK, Aug 16 (Reuters) New Yorkers heard the desperate dying words of a September 11 victim today as the city released a fresh batch of recorded emergency calls from the day of the attacks.

''I'm going to die, aren't I?'' Melissa Doi, a 32-year-old financial manager for IQ Financial Systems, asked an emergency services operator in a call from the 83rd floor of the World Trade Center's south tower just before it collapsed.

''No, no, no, no, no,'' responded the operator. ''Ma'am, say your prayers. You've got to think positive because you've got to help people get off the floor.'' Doi's harrowing call was played in April at the trial of convicted Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui.

It was made available to the wider public along with several other recordings recently discovered by the Fire Department of New York. Families of some victims gathered to listen to the tapes.

The calls should have been included with other 9/11 tapes released in March, but officials said they were overlooked and blamed poor management.

A first batch of tapes was released in August 2005, when the public originally heard the plaintive cries of people who died that day.

In Today's release, Doi's is the only civilian voice heard because it had been made trial evidence. The other recordings were edited to remove the voices of civilians.

Doi is heard pleading for help and asking when firefighters would arrive as she was trapped with five others on the smoke-filled 83rd floor, which was burning hot from the fire caused by the jetliner crash into floors below her.

''Are they going to be able to get somebody up here?'' Doi asked.

''Of course ma'am, we're coming up for you,'' the operator replied.

''Well, there's nobody here yet and the floor is completely engulfed. We're on the floor and we can't breathe and it's very, very, very hot.'' Later her pleadings grew more urgent.

''Oh, my God. Find out if there's anybody here on the 83rd floor.

... Can you stay on the line with me, please. I feel like I'm dying.'' Reuters BDP DB2357