Mark Wahlberg faced backlash and later apologised after making controversial remarks about what he believed he would have done had he been aboard one of the planes hijacked during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

Wahlberg had originally been scheduled to travel on American Airlines Flight 11, the aircraft that became the first plane to strike the World Trade Center's North Tower on September 11, 2001. The actor was due to fly from Boston to Los Angeles. 

However, a last-minute change of plans meant that Wahlberg and some friends decided to attend a film festival in Toronto instead, requiring them to take a different flight. That decision meant Wahlberg was not aboard Flight 11 and survived the attacks. 

What Mark Wahlberg Said About Flight 11 

Years after the attacks, Wahlberg was asked by Men's Journal what he thought he would have done if he had been on the plane. His response drew significant criticism. "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did," he claimed. 

"There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, ‘Okay, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry'.” His comments appeared to suggest that, had he been aboard the aircraft, he believed he could have confronted the terrorists and prevented the events from unfolding as they did. 

The remarks were strongly criticised, including by relatives of people who lost their lives in the attacks. The widow of a man killed on 9/11 described Wahlberg's comments as "disrespectful." 

Wahlberg Later Apologised 

Following the criticism, Wahlberg issued a formal apology and acknowledged that speculating about such a situation was inappropriate. "To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible.

"I deeply apologise to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive. It was certainly not my intention." 

Remembering 9/11, 25 Years Later 

Nearly 25 years after the attacks, the events of September 11 continue to be remembered through footage and personal accounts that show the devastating scale of the tragedy. 

A total of 2,977 people were killed in the terrorist attacks, which remain one of the most devastating events in modern American history.

Stefan Horlacher, a witness who saw Flight 11 strike the World Trade Center, recalled that he had been working two blocks away when he felt "vibrations" from the impact, according to LADbible. 

"We had the first jumpers, splashing on the plaza. Almost every 10 seconds, maybe 20 seconds, somebody right in front of you, kind of splashed on the plaza," he said. "They always gave [me] that deep, dark noise... Then you knew it was more serious than just a tiny accident."