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| Helicopter escape from Quebec prison | Helicopter escape from Quebec prison |
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| Two prisoners in Canada climbed up a rope into a waiting helicopter to make an apparently short-lived escape from a jail north-west of Montreal, Quebec, authorities have said. | Two prisoners in Canada climbed up a rope into a waiting helicopter to make an apparently short-lived escape from a jail north-west of Montreal, Quebec, authorities have said. |
| Quebec police said they later arrested three people about 30 miles (50km) north of the Saint-Jerome jail where the escape took place. One of those arrested was 36-year-old inmate Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau. | Quebec police said they later arrested three people about 30 miles (50km) north of the Saint-Jerome jail where the escape took place. One of those arrested was 36-year-old inmate Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau. |
| Authorities located the second inmate late on Sunday and said a security perimeter had been set up around the area where 33-year-old Danny Provencal was found. | Authorities located the second inmate late on Sunday and said a security perimeter had been set up around the area where 33-year-old Danny Provencal was found. |
| On Sunday, police had received a call from staff at Saint-Jerome, reporting the escape around 2.20pm, said Sergeant Benoit Richard of Quebec police. | On Sunday, police had received a call from staff at Saint-Jerome, reporting the escape around 2.20pm, said Sergeant Benoit Richard of Quebec police. |
| The jail's warden told police that Hudon-Barbeau and Provencal had grabbed a rope dropped from the helicopter to make their getaway, Richard said. | The jail's warden told police that Hudon-Barbeau and Provencal had grabbed a rope dropped from the helicopter to make their getaway, Richard said. |
| Quebec police tracked down the helicopter to Mont-Tremblant, about 53 miles from the jail, but only the pilot was still at the scene. He was taken to a local hospital, Richard said. | Quebec police tracked down the helicopter to Mont-Tremblant, about 53 miles from the jail, but only the pilot was still at the scene. He was taken to a local hospital, Richard said. |
| "He's going to be questioned later on by investigators, within the next couple of hours," Richard said. | "He's going to be questioned later on by investigators, within the next couple of hours," Richard said. |
| According to police, Hudon-Barbeau had been arrested in November for firearms offences and associating with convicted criminals. The arrest came as part of an investigation of a double murder in Quebec | According to police, Hudon-Barbeau had been arrested in November for firearms offences and associating with convicted criminals. The arrest came as part of an investigation of a double murder in Quebec |
| Montreal radio station 98.5 FM said it received a call on Sunday from a man claiming to be Hudon-Barbeau, who said he was "ready to die" as he tried to evade police. "The way they're treating me in there, it's unreal," the man told the radio station. "They won't let me be. They put me back in prison for nothing." | Montreal radio station 98.5 FM said it received a call on Sunday from a man claiming to be Hudon-Barbeau, who said he was "ready to die" as he tried to evade police. "The way they're treating me in there, it's unreal," the man told the radio station. "They won't let me be. They put me back in prison for nothing." |
| Authorities did not immediately respond to the claims made in the radio station interview. | Authorities did not immediately respond to the claims made in the radio station interview. |
| Yves Galarneau, the correctional services manager who oversees the Saint-Jerome jail, said he had never seen anything like it in more than three decades on the job. | Yves Galarneau, the correctional services manager who oversees the Saint-Jerome jail, said he had never seen anything like it in more than three decades on the job. |
| Galarneau said there were no security measures in place at the jail to stop a helicopter swooping down from above. "As far as I know it's a first in Quebec," he said. "It's exceptional." | Galarneau said there were no security measures in place at the jail to stop a helicopter swooping down from above. "As far as I know it's a first in Quebec," he said. "It's exceptional." |
| Using a helicopter to break out of jail has a long and colorrful history, and not just in the movies. A New York businessman, Joel David Kaplan, used a chopper to escape from a Mexican jail in 1971 and went on to write a book about the incident. Pascal Payet, a French prisoner, used a helicopter to escape on three occasions, only to be caught by authorities each time. | Using a helicopter to break out of jail has a long and colorrful history, and not just in the movies. A New York businessman, Joel David Kaplan, used a chopper to escape from a Mexican jail in 1971 and went on to write a book about the incident. Pascal Payet, a French prisoner, used a helicopter to escape on three occasions, only to be caught by authorities each time. |
| The jail at the centre of Sunday's escapade in Quebec is a provincial detention centre with a maximum-security wing. | The jail at the centre of Sunday's escapade in Quebec is a provincial detention centre with a maximum-security wing. |
| Saint-Jerome jail, about 37 miles (60km) north-west of Montreal, experienced a small riot by about a dozen prisoners just over a month ago. Police were called in to secure the outside of the jail, which holds about 480 inmates, and jail staff used pepper spray to disperse the mob. | Saint-Jerome jail, about 37 miles (60km) north-west of Montreal, experienced a small riot by about a dozen prisoners just over a month ago. Police were called in to secure the outside of the jail, which holds about 480 inmates, and jail staff used pepper spray to disperse the mob. |
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