'Drunk' Russian ice hockey ace forces emergency landing after 'attacking stewardess over whisky row'
Former NHL star Oleg Saprykin found himself in trouble after allegedly knocking down an air stewardess and forcing an emergency landing during a Russian internal flight, according to local media reports.
Ice hockey star Saprykin, 37, was identified as the alleged perpetrator of an incident during an Aurora Airlines domestic flight from Sochi to Moscow.
Seated in the business class section of the flight, Saprykin was reportedly intoxicated and became angry when a flight attendant refused to top up his whisky.
And reports suggest that he got up from his seat in protestation and, as the stewardess attempted to calm him, he struck her on the head.
According to one report, "The young woman fell on the floor and was badly bruised."
Footage online, said to be from the Russian Interior Ministry, reportedly shows Saprykin shouting at the flight crew and also inside a detention cell.
The flight was diverted to Voronezh, where it made an emergency landing.
News agency Interfax reported: "The passenger attacked the flight attendant with such force that she collapsed on the floor.
"The pilot then took a decision to interrupt the flight."
And a source confirmed: "As soon as the drunk man was detained, the plane continued the flight to Moscow."
The flight attendant opted not to press charges against Saprykin, meaning the former NHL star could not be charged with hooliganism and instead paid a "small fine".
