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Tigers Put Leonardo DiCaprio Back in the Air After Flight Scare

Waylaid when his Russia-bound plane had to make an emergency landing, actor is en route again to make it in time for the World Wildlife Foundation's tiger summit

By Natalie Finn, Claudia Rosenbaum Nov 23, 2010 5:05 AMTags
Leonardo DiCaprioAP Photo/Joel Ryan

Leonardo DiCaprio wasn't going to let a little flight scare keep him grounded.

The actor is en route to Moscow again, hours after an engine blew out on the Delta flight he was on, forcing the plane to return to New York's JFK International Airport.

"DiCaprio is on board a plane right now headed to St. Petersburg to attend the historic tiger summit hosted by [Russian Prime Minister] Vladimir Putin," a source exclusively tells E! News.

And apparently he's got a checkbook in the overhead compartment.

DiCaprio is set to present a $1 million gift to the World Wildlife Fund to go toward tiger conservation on behalf of the California Community Foundation's Leonardo DiCaprio Fund, which the actor set up to contribute to the various environmental causes he holds dear.

He will also be acting as the newest board member of the WWF, which so far has taken him to Nepal and Bhutan this year to tour tiger habitats.

"It's been a pleasure to work with Leo," says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund. "His financial commitment will spark urgent on-the-ground conservation for tigers. His storytelling will inspire people around the world to help."

When his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in NYC yesterday, DiCaprio wasn't sure he would be able to find another flight in time, but now he should have no problem arriving in time for the five-day summit.