MILE HIGH THUG
‘Drunk’ Russian ice hockey star ‘floors air stewardess who refused top up his whiskey glass’ sparking emergency landing
Oleg Saprykin, 37, then abused prison staff and vandalised his cell whilst beating its bars with a stick
A “drunk” business class passenger "floored an air stewardess today after she refused to top up his whisky glass," say reports in Russia.
The plane on a domestic flight from Sochi to Moscow made an emergency landing in Voronezh.
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The passenger, identified by the Moscow media as ice hockey star Oleg Saprykin, 37, was detained and seen in a video released by the Russian Interior Ministry in only underwear banging on a cell door and throwing broken furniture through the bars.
Astonishingly after being fined for “hooliganism”, he was released and later flew back to Moscow with his wife and children on another flight.
The player - who had seven seasons in the NHL in North America and has a homes in Phoenix and Moscow - was reported to have been intoxicated after New Year festivities in the Black Sea resort city.
On board an Aurora Airlines flight, he had demanded a top-up of whisky during the flight but the flight attendant refused, say reports.
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One account reported that he jumped out of his seat, screamed at the flight attendant, and struck her on the head as she sought to calm him.
“The young woman fell on the floor and was badly bruised,” according to a report.
A video released by the Russian Interior Ministry then shows him shouting at flight crew in a foul-mouthed rant.
A source at Voronezh airport told Interfax: “The passenger attacked the flight attendant with such force that she collapsed on the floor.
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“The pilot then took a decision to interrupt the flight.”
The captain asked for an emergency landing in Voronezh.
“As soon as the drunk man was detained, the plane continued the flight to Moscow,” said the source.
Reports say the flight attendant declined to file a complaint against the famous passenger - who has both Russian and Canadian citizenship.
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“For this reason he could not be charged with hooliganism,” said a source.
Instead he paid a "small fine", say reports.
“It is unclear why she or the airline refused to file an official complaint for behaviour that warranted an emergency landing.”
One report said her had boasted to the airline crew and arresting officers of his "friends in Moscow".
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Now playing in Russia, he formerly starred for the Calgary Flames, Phoenix Coyotes and Ottawa Senators.
The airline is a subsidiary of state carrier Aeroflot.
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