Story ID: 5031913alerts
Helicopter Hijacked for Quebec Prison Break
By: Mark Huber
Caption: 
Word Count: 177
Two gunmen attempted a daring daylight helicopter prison break from a maximum-security prison in Saint-Jerome, Quebec, on Sunday.

The Robinson R44 Raven I, owned by Heli-Tremblant and operated by Quebec Helicopters, was hijacked by two gunmen during a sightseeing flight shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday and directed to fly to the prison. There, a rope line was lowered for the escapees, who were then flown to a getaway car near Mont-Tremblant, where the helicopter and pilot were located by police.

The pilot was hospitalized for shock. Police then located the escapees and others in a cabin near Chertsey, Quebec, and apprehended them after an exchange of gunfire.

Helicopters have been increasingly used for prison breaks, particularly in France, the U.S. and Greece. On Saturday, guards foiled an attempted helicopter escape from a prison in the Ukraine.

This was the second helicopter escape from a Canadian prison. In June 1990, a hijacked helicopter was used to free two prisoners in British Columbia. They were apprehended two days later.