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Mark Wahlberg apologises for 'insensitive' 9/11 comments

By Eleanor Harley Jan 19, 2012, 14:05 GMT

Mark Wahlberg issues a formal apology for his \'insensitive\' and \'irresponsible\' remarks regarding the 9/11 terroist attacks. Copyright by Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Mark Wahlberg has apologised for his insensitive comments regarding the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

During an interview with Men’s Journal, The Happening actor explained that although he never made it onto the plane, he was booked on one of the flights that crashed into the World Trade Centre.

“If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did,” Wahlberg said.

“There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, ‘OK, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry,’” he continued.

TMZ spoke to Deena Burnett-Bailey, the wife of one of the passengers from the hi-jacked flight.

Bailey said she received a call from her husband after the flight had been taken over by the terrorists. “I know we’re going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it,” her husband Thomas Burnett said.

Bailey was upset by Wahlberg’s remarks saying “The plan for Flight 93 was foiled by heroes. For him to speculate that his presence on board could have stopped everything is silly and disrespectful.”

“Sounds like someone is grandstanding,” she added.

40-year-old Wahlberg’s management team emailed a formal apology to POPgoesTheWeek.

“To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on the plane was irresponsible. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention.”

Wahlberg can be seen in Contraband, a film about a former criminal trying to protect his brother-in-law. The movie was released in the USA on January 13th 2012.