Belgium Jail Break by R44
Also appearing on reuters.com ...
Convict escapes prison again, this time in a hijacked helicopter.
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A few months ago, the same man escaped from a Spanish jail in the Girona region when taking part in a reconstitution. He was arrested recently in Belgium and was in jail waiting for extradition to Spain.
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An unusual jail break in Belgium - two men hijacked a helicopter and forced the pilot to land inside the prison grounds.
After paying for a helicopter trip from an airstrip outside Brussels, the pair produced weapons and forced the pilot to fly to Lantin prison near Liege.
The pilot, Eric Mathieu, said the hijackers sounded nervous - but they threatened to blow up the helicopter if he didn't obey their orders.
The helicopter first landed on one of the walls surrounding the prison. One of the hijackers threw tear gas canisters at some 300 prisoners and guards exercising in the prison yard below.
They then touched down inside the grounds and picked up one prisoner. The hijackers ordered the pilot to fly out and land at a nearby field. The three men escaped in a car waiting for them at the field.
Police said the escapee was Erik Ferdinand, accused of forgery and the use of forged documents, thefts, and embezzlement. He escaped from a Spanish jail a few months ago.
Benet Allen, Reuters