Putin calls DiCaprio ‘real man’ after plane free-fall

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin likes to play the hero in his native Russia - whether it's fighting wildfires or taking part in macho outdoor pursuits - but even he can be impressed by another man's heroism, especially when that man is the baby-faced Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

RIA Novosti reports that Putin has honoured DiCaprio as a "muzhik" - or "real man" - for insisting on attending a tiger conservation summit in St Petersburg, even after his plane was involved in a free-fall incident over the United States.

En route from New York, an engine caught fire and the aircraft was forced to return to JFK airport, Putin told delegates at the International Tiger Conservation Forum yesterday.

"We need to praise the American pilots who showed bravery, calm and professionalism by turning on the fire extinguishers and shutting down the engines, putting the plane into a free-fall," said Putin.

"I don't think anyone would want to continue their trip, but Mr DiCaprio isn't one of them."

Putin continued his story, telling the audience that DiCaprio's troubles didn't end there. His plane was again forced to land in Helsinki after using up its fuel because of strong headwinds over the North Atlantic.

At this, the audience laughed. "That's not funny," said Putin.
"DiCaprio didn't just come, he busted into St. Petersburg across the front line. That's what we call a real man."

Russia is key to a plan agreed by the International Tiger Conservation Forum to double by 2022 the population of the endangered big cat, which has fallen to less than 3,500 from 100,000 a century ago.

Putin, (pictured above in 2008 helping conservationists tag an Amur tiger in Russia's far east) has promised new measures to tackle poaching and habitat destruction. His hero, DiCaprio, has donated $1m to the global effort to protect tigers, which will require around $350m from the international community. ·