Leonardo DiCaprio, known for his unique role choices and method acting, is also an environmentalist. Apart from work, he travels worldwide to create awareness of the deteriorating environment. During one such trip to Russia, the Titanic actor almost died.
DiCaprio once traveled to Russia to participate in a conference on safeguarding the endangered Amur Tigers, where his plane almost met an accident. While the accident did not harm the actor, it still made for a story of a lifetime.
What Happened To Leonardo DiCaprio’s Plane In Russia
During an appearance on Ellen in 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio recounted what he described as the scariest experience of his life, saying,
“I was looking out of the window and the entire engine had turned into a fireball. I was the only person that seemed to see this, it was a flaming fireball, and it was all Russian passengers. I kind of felt like I had already died and gone to heaven as nobody said anything. I was screaming at the top of my lungs, shouting, ‘what the hell is going on here?’ And the stewardess came out and said, ‘We seem to have a slight problem here’.”
The actor said the Delta plane from New York had to dump fuel for 45 minutes before making an emergency landing.
DiCaprio’s Second Flight To Russia Wasn’t Great Too
The actor was determined to reach Russia and boarded another plane. However, this plane also got hit with unexpected challenges. Due to the extreme winds, the aircraft had to take a pit stop in Helsinki to refuel.
After boarding a third plane, The Wolf of Wall Street actor finally made it to St. Petersburg, where he received an unexpected mention from the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, during the summit’s address.
During his speech, Putin described DiCaprio as a “famous and much-loved American actor.” He also praised the Titanic star for his generous contribution of $1 million to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
What Actually Happened To The Moscow-bound Delta Plane
After safely making the emergency landing, airport authorities took charge and investigated the plane. Later it was revealed that a compressor stall in the left engine caused the engine to blow. Officials for the Port Authority said that one of the major causes of compressor malfunctions is usually bird strikes. However, they found no such evidence within the jet engine.
As the plane ascended, several witnesses reported seeing flames or sparks and dialed 911. The plane, capable of flying on one engine, was ferrying 60,000 pounds of fuel for its nine-hour journey to Russia.
To ensure the aircraft wasn’t excessively heavy for landing, the flight captain said they had to circle in the air for over an hour to empty the fuel tank. The captain also said that his co-pilot and the crew members worked to calm the passengers, including Leonardo DiCaprio.
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