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Freedom Is Brief for 2 Inmates Who Flee Prison on Helicopter Freedom Is Brief for Canadians Who Fled Prison by Helicopter
(35 minutes later)
OTTAWA — In a bold prison break, two Canadian convicts shimmied up a rope at a provincial detention center north of Montreal to a hijacked helicopter hovering overhead and, briefly, experienced freedom. OTTAWA — In a bold prison break, two Canadian convicts shinnied up a rope at a provincial detention center north of Montreal to a hijacked helicopter hovering overhead and, briefly, experienced freedom.
But after Sunday’s drama came Monday’s reality. The two men were back in jail and appeared in court with two accomplices to face a variety of charges.The two convicts, Danny Provençal, 33, and Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau, 36, were connected to the Hell’s Angels, a group linked to violent battles over the drug trade in Quebec, the police said. Little was known publicly on Monday about the two other men. But after Sunday’s drama came Monday’s reality. The two men were back in jail and appeared in court with two accomplices to face a variety of charges.
Yves Le Roux, the president of Passport Hélico, told reporters that two men booked a sightseeing flight from the Mont Tremblant ski resort on Saturday. The two convicts, Danny Provençal, 33, and Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau, 36, were connected to the Hell’s Angels, a group linked to violent battles over the drug trade in Quebec, the police said. Little was known publicly on Monday about the two other men.
The pilot, Sébastien Foray, told Mr. Le Roux that it was obvious that the pair were not typical tourists when they showed up the next day. Yves Le Roux, the president of Passport Hélico, told reporters that two men booked a sightseeing flight from the Mont Tremblant ski resort on Saturday. The pilot, Sébastien Foray, 23, told Mr. Le Roux that it was obvious the pair were not typical tourists when they showed up the next day.
“He told me that he found them to be shady individuals, he was not comfortable,” Mr. Le Roux said. “He told me that he found them to be shady individuals,” Mr. Le Roux said. “He was not comfortable.”
Once airborne, the two men ordered the pilot at gunpoint to fly to the prison in nearby Saint-Jérôme. When the pilot tried to broadcast a warning signal, the passengers caught on and destroyed his radio headset. Once airborne, the two men ordered Mr. Foray at gunpoint to fly to the prison in nearby Saint-Jérôme. When he tried to broadcast a warning signal, the passengers destroyed his radio headset.
The escape was not flawless. Witnesses said that one prisoner was dangling upside down from a cable or rope and the other was gripping the helicopter’s undercarriage after it lifted off from the prison. When the aircraft was landing in a field several minutes later to allow the men to enter the helicopter, Mr. Hudon-Barbeau lost his grip and fell several feet to the ground. The escape was not flawless. Witnesses said that one prisoner was dangling upside down from a cable or rope and that the other was gripping the helicopter’s undercarriage after it lifted off from the prison. When the aircraft was landing in a field several minutes later to allow the men to enter the helicopter, Mr. Hudon-Barbeau, who was tangled in his rope, hit the ground first and suffered minor injuries.
Although the helicopter is designed to carry only four people, Mr. Le Roux said its light fuel load allowed it to handle the extra load. Once everyone was inside, the helicopter flew for about 18 miles before landing in a parking lot. The four men then fled in a waiting white Cadillac Escalade. The pilot was blindfolded and abandoned. Although the helicopter is designed to carry only four people, Mr. Le Roux said its light fuel load allowed it to handle the extra load. Once everyone was inside, the helicopter flew about 18 miles before landing in a parking lot. The four men then fled in a waiting white Cadillac Escalade. Mr. Foray was blindfolded and abandoned.
Mr. Hudon-Barbeau, who faces trial on gun and drug charges after being arrested last November at an exotic dancing club in Montreal, took time during the escape to call a television network, his father and a radio station to complain about conditions in the prison. Mr. Hudon-Barbeau, who faces trial on gun and drug charges after being arrested in November at an exotic dancing club in Montreal, took time during the escape to call a television network, his father and a radio station to complain about conditions in the prison.
“The way they’re treating me in there, it’s unreal,“ he told CHMP, a news radio station. “They won’t let me be. They put me back in prison for nothing.” “The way they’re treating me in there, it’s unreal,” he told radio station CHMP. “They won’t let me be. They put me back in prison for nothing.”
While the prison breakout was described as the first in Quebec involving a helicopter, the technique has been used in the past, mainly in Europe. Most famously, Pascal Payet, a convicted murderer and organized crime leader in France, has been involved in three failed helicopter break outs. Rarely is the technique successful though. While the prison breakout was described as the first in Quebec involving a helicopter, the technique has been used in the past, mainly in Europe. Most famously, Pascal Payet, a convicted murderer and organized crime leader in France, has been involved in three failed helicopter breakouts. Rarely is the technique successful though.
One obvious problem is that helicopters carry transponders that precisely report their locations to air traffic controllers and that cannot be switched off. In this case, Sgt. Benoît Richard of the Sûreté du Québec said the police never lost sight of the helicopter or the ostentatious vehicle used later in the escape. One obvious problem is that helicopters carry transponders that precisely report their locations to air traffic controllers and cannot be switched off. In this case, Sgt. Benoît Richard of the Sûreté du Québec said the police never lost sight of the helicopter or the Escalade used later in the escape.
A brief shootout between the four men and the police unfolded as they broke into a cottage. Two of the men, Sergeant Richard said, were arrested there. A third escaped, only to be captured near a police perimeter. Late in the evening, Mr. Provençal was cornered in a maple syrup shack and eventually surrendered. A brief shootout between the four men and the police unfolded as they broke into a cottage. Two of the men, Sergeant Richard said, were arrested there. A third escaped and was captured near a police perimeter. Late in the evening, Mr. Provençal was cornered in a maple syrup shack and eventually surrendered.
The pilot, who eventually removed his blindfold and flew back to Mont Tremblant, was later treated for shock.The pilot, who eventually removed his blindfold and flew back to Mont Tremblant, was later treated for shock.