List of helicopter prison escapes

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Mountjoy Prison where on October 31, 1973 three IRA members escaped in a hijacked helicopter.[1]
La Santé Prison where on May 26, 1986 Michel Vaujour was flown out of the prison by his wife.[2]
David McMillan who escaped the infamous Bangkok Hilton prison in Thailand.[3] In 1983 he also tried to escape from an Australian prison, by helicopter.[4]

A prison escape is where a prisoner leaves a prison through the use of a helicopter to free one or several people. The helicopter's vertical lift is ideal for prison escapes because of the limited space to land and take off in prisons. A chopper escape can take place anywhere in the world but to be counted as a helicopter escape, a helicopter must be used in an attempt to free prisoners from a place of internment, a prison or correctional facility.

One of the earliest instances of using a helicopter to escape a prison was the escape of Joel David Kaplan on August 19, 1971 from the Santa Martha Acatitla in Mexico.[5] Kaplan was a New York businessman who successfully not only escaped the prison but escaped Mexico and went on to write a book about his experience, The 10-second jailbreak.[6] France has had more recorded helicopter escapes than any other country, with at least 11.[7] One of the most notable French jail breaks occurred in 1986, when the wife of bank robber Michel Vaujour studied for months to learn how to fly a helicopter. Using her new found skills, she rented a white helicopter and flew low over Paris to pluck her husband off the roof of his fortress prison. Michel was later seriously wounded in a shoot out with police, and his pilot wife was arrested.[2] The record for most chopper escapes goes to escape artist, Pascal Payet, who has used helicopters to escape from prisons in 2001, 2003, and most recently 2007.[8] Another multiple chopper escapee is Vasilis Paleokostas who on February 22, 2009 escaped for the second time from the same prison.[9] Because of this, many prisons have taken precautions such as nets, or cables strung over open prison courtyards.


Contents

[edit] Country breakdown

Helicopter escape attempts by country:

Country Flag Successful escapes Failed attempts
France Flag of France 9 2
United States Flag of the United States 5 (2 in Puerto Rico) 1
Greece Flag of Greece 2 —
Australia Flag of Australia 1 1
Belgium Flag of Belgium 2 —
Netherlands Flag of the Netherlands — 1
Ireland Flag of Ireland 1 —
United Kingdom Flag of the United Kingdom 1 —
Brazil Flag of Brazil 1 —
Mexico Flag of Mexico 1 —

[edit] Escapes

Key
Indicates successful prison escape by helicopter
Indicates failure to escape prison by helicopter
Date Prison name Country Success or Failure Escapee Details
August 19, 1971 Santa Martha Acatitla Mexico Successful attempt Kaplan, Joel DavidJoel David Kaplan Joel David Kaplan was a New York businessman and nephew of Molasses Tycoon Jacob M. Kaplan.[5] His trust fund, J.M. Kaplan Fund, was named in a 1964 congressional investigation as a conduit for CIA money to Latin America. In 1962 he was convicted of killing his New York business partner, Louis Vidal Jr in Mexico City. Kaplan always maintained his innocence and on August 19, 1971 a helicopter landed in the Santa Martha Acatitla prison yard where he made his escape accompanied by Carlos Antonio Contreras Castro, a Venezuelan counterfeiter. Both men were flown to America and then different planes flew Kaplan to California and Castro to Guatemala.[5] The escape is told in a book, The 10-second jailbreak;: The helicopter escape of Joel David Kaplan.[6]
October 31, 1973 Mountjoy Jail Ireland Successful attempt JB, HaganHagan JB

Seamus Twomey
Kevin Mallon

 On October 31, 1973 an IRA member hijacked a helicopter and forced the pilot to land in the exercise yard of Dublin's Mountjoy Jail's D Wing at 3.40pm, October 31, 1973. Three members of the IRA were able to escape, JB O'Hagan, Seamus Twomey and Kevin Mallon. Another prisoner who also was in the prison was quoted as saying, "One shamefaced screw apologised to the governor and said he thought it was the new Minister for Defence (Paddy Donegan) arriving. I told him it was our Minister of Defence leaving."

The Mountjoy helicopter escape became Republican lore and was immortalised by "The Helicopter Song", which contains the lines "It's up like a bird and over the prison. There's three men a missing I heard the warder say".[1]
January, 1983 Pentridge (HM Prison) Australia Failed attempt McMillan, DavidDavid McMillan Arrests were made for the 1983 attempted helicopter escape from Melbourne’s Pentridge Prison in Australia.[4] The three, all held on drug-importation charges, had hired a former SAS soldier, then living in the Philippines, to lift the prisoners from the jail’s tennis court to a nearby van fitted with panels to hide them for the 600 kilometre road trip to Sydney, where a yacht was to take them to Manila.

The plan was thwarted when Lord Tony Moynihan, himself an exile in the Philippines, informed the Australian federal police, who then ran it as a sting operation. Tony Moynihan would later become an informer against Howard Marks in a Florida trial.

Of the accused, only David McMillan and his accountant friend who had visited the prison, stood trial. During the hearings, few prosecution witnesses used their real names as they were mostly from Moynihan’s former West African MI6 unit, however those on trial were convicted and sentenced.[10]
May 26, 1986 La Santé Prison France Successful attempt Vaujour, MichelMichel Vaujour Lena Rigon’s flight instructors looked upon her as an inspiration. While raising two kids without a father she also attended helicopter-flying lessons. Their opinion would quickly change when they learned that Lena Rigon was in fact Nadine Vaujour, wife of Michel Vaujour and mother of his two children.

On May 26 1986; for escape attempt number 4, he made his way to the roof by threatening guards with a fake pistol and nectarines painted as grenades. On top of the jail he was picked up by his recently graduated helicopter pilot wife, Nadine.[7] They landed at a nearby soccer field and fled using a waiting car. Vaujour still had 28 years to serve for attempted murder and armed robbery.

In late 1986, Michel Vaujour along with an accomplice were wounded in a failed bank robbery. In a gun battle with the authorities, two officers and a hostage were also wounded. Vaujour was shot in the head and lapsed into a coma. His wife had been arrested just prior to the shootout while hiding in a villa in southwestern France.[2]
November 5, 1986 Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin United States Successful attempt Lopez, SamanthaSamantha Lopez Ronald J. McIntosh walked away from a minimum security prison on October 28 and then rented a helicopter on November 5.[11] He used the helicopter to free Samantha Lopez from the Federal Correctional Institution at Dublin, east of San Francisco. Both were later caught on November 15 when they arrived to pick up wedding rings from a California shopping mall. The authorities were monitoring the account McIntosh used to write the check and the police were waiting for them.

Ron McIntosh for his role in the escape was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Samantha Lopez was given five years added to her 50 year sentence for a 1981 bank robbery in Georgia.[12] As they were driven away to their separate prisons McIntosh was able to lean out of a car window and yell, I love you! to Lopez.[13] As of May 15, 2009 Samantha Lopez is still incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.[14]
December 10, 1987 Gartree (HM Prison) United Kingdom Successful attempt Draper, SydneySydney Draper
John Kendall		 At 3.16pm on December 10, 1987, John Kendall and Sydney Draper were sprung from Gartree's exercise yard with the aid of a hijacked Bell 206L helicopter. Kendall was a gangland boss serving eight years while Draper was jailed for murder and serving a life sentence.[15] The escape caused great controversy at the time and led to a tightening of security at the jail. Kendall was recaptured 10 days later but Draper remained at large for 13 months.
April 17, 1989 Federal Holding Facility, Miami, FL United States Failed attempt Kramer, BenBen Kramer Famous Apache Boat Builder and racer Ben Kramer tried to escape by helicopter from a Federal Holding Facility in Miami on April 17, 1989. The escape failed when too many other inmates jumped on the helicopter and the helicopter crashed from being overloaded. Ben Kramer was serving life without parole for RICO charges resulting from drug trafficking, and also pled guilty to the murder of fellow boat builder and racer Don Aronow owner of Cigarette Off Shore Boats.[16]
August 19, 1989 Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility United States Successful attempt Brown, RalphRalph Brown
Freddie Gonzales		 Colorado prison inmates Ralph Brown and Freddie Gonzales were able to escape via helicopter. They were recaptured in Holdrege, Nebraska.[17]
1991 Rio Piedras State Penitentiary, Puerto Rico United States Successful attempt — Inmates were able to escape when a helicopter plucked them from the prison. The escape prompted the Puerto Rico House Government Committee to pass a regulation that allowed penal officials to fire on any helicopter aiding an escape attempt.[18]
1992 Lyon Prison France Successful attempt — After a successful helicopter escape from this prison, cables were strung across the central yard at five-metre intervals.[7]
September 18, 1997 De Geerhorst jail Netherlands Failed attempt — A September 18, 1997 escape attempt ended in failure when the helicopter crashed into the prison ground of the Dutch prison, De Geerhorst. The helicopter had been stolen earlier in Belgium. The pilot was killed and the Colombian prison escapee, who was serving a long-term sentence for drug trafficking, walked away with slight injuries.[19]
March 25, 1999 Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre Australia Successful attempt Killick, JohnJohn Killick In March 25 1999, librarian Lucy Dudko hijacked a helicopter supposedly to check out the upcoming Olympic site in Sydney.[20] Using a gun she forced pilot, Tim Joyce, to land on the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre grounds. Waiting was John Killick, who was serving 28 years for armed robberies. He jumped in the helicopter making an escape while being fired on by guards and cheered on by inmates. They landed in a park where Killick hijacked a taxi at gunpoint. The two were able to elude authorities for six weeks before being arrested at the Bass Hill Tourist Park.

Lucy Dudko, dubbed Red Lucy by the media, was sentenced to the maximum of 10 years and was sent to Mulawa Correctional Centre women's prison. On May 9 2006 she was released on parole after serving 7 years of her sentence. John Killick is eligible for parole in 2013 when he will be 71.[21]
June 5, 2000 Martin Treatment Center for Sexually Violent Predators, Martin County Florida United States Successful attempt Whitsett, StevenSteven Whitsett Steven Whitsett was serving a civil commitment as a Sexually Violent Predator at the Martin Treatment Center. On June 5, 2000, at approximately 1 p.m., correctional officers patrolling the perimeter of the treatment center reported a helicopter approaching from south of the facility. Piloted by Clifford Burkhart, a former lover of Whitsett, the helicopter landed inside the fenced compound.[22] While Whitsett was climbing aboard, the helicopter stuck an object. As a result of the damage the helicopter crashed about 100 yards south of the perimeter fence. Twenty-six hours from the time of the escape, a Martin County Sheriff’s deputy spotted Whitsett and Burkhart from a search helicopter. The two men were in a canal, in shoulder-deep water, four miles east of the treatment facility. For the escape and weapons charges steming from the escape Whitsett received a criminal sentence of 25 years. Whitsett was awaiting a retrial when his conviction was overturned in 2007. Burkhart, for his part in the escape was sentenced to 7 years, followed by 10 years of probation. Burkhart was released from prison in 2007.[23]
2000 Lyon prison France Successful attempt — Three men were able to escape a prison near Lyon by having an accomplice fly a hijacked helicopter over the prison. A net was lowered and the three inmates were able to grab hold and lifted to freedom. Guards were able to fatally shoot one of the convicts. The remaining two were recaptured after a gun battle with police.[7]
2001 Luynnes prison France Successful attempt Payet, PascalPascal Payet Pascal Payet escaped from Luynnes prison using a hijacked helicopter.[8]
March 24, 2001 Draguignan prison France Successful attempt Carnous, AbdelhamidAbdelhamid CarnousEmile Forma-Sari
Jean-Philippe Lecase
Abdelhamid Carnous		 On March 24, 2001 an armed man hijacked the helicopter from a nearby airfield. The pilot was forced to land in the courtyard of the prison. Three convicts managed to get aboard before flying 60 kilometres (37 mi) away. Landing in the village of Auribeau-sur-Siagne the pilot was released and the men got into a waiting getaway car. The escapees were later identified as convicted armed robbers Emile Forma-Sari, Jean-Philippe Lecase and Abdelhamid Carnous.[24]
May 28, 2001 Fresnes prison France Failed attempt — (Although not a helicoptor escape in the truest sense, it is listed here because of the large role a helicoptor played in the incident). In May, 2001 a hijacked helicopter flew over Fresnes prison, south of Paris and dropped weapons in the exercise yard. Two prisoners armed with a bulletproof vest, an automatic pistol and a Kalashnikov dropped by the copter were able to take three guards hostage in an attempt to escape from prison. The hostage drama lasted about 24 hours before the prisoners surrendered.[25]
January, 17 2002 Parada Neto Penitentiary Brazil Successful attempt — The Brazilian prison system is notorious for overcrowding and corruption. Of the many frequent escapes, one of the most daring was when a helicopter was flown into Parada Neto Penitentiary freeing two inmates serving time for murder and bank robbery.

Earlier in the day the two men rented a helicopter pretending to be tourists wanting a panoramic ride over the city. While in the air the men drew guns and forced the pilot to land in the central yard of the prison. The inmates jumped aboard and when the pilot took off again guards opened fire. The helicopter was found abandoned on a football pitch 50 kilometres (31 mi) away full of bullet holes.[26]
December 30, 2002 Las Cucharas prison, Puerto Rico United States Successful attempt Orlando Cartagena

Jose Rodriguez
Victor Diaz
Hector Diaz
Jose Tapia

 In Puerto Rico five prisoners escaped from Las Cucharas prison in Ponce. Two men had earlier rented the helicopter saying they wanted to inspect construction sites. They forced the pilot at gunpoint to land on the roof of the jail where they picked up the five convicts. To reach the roof the inmates cut a hole in the chain link fence. One was forced to hang on to the skids outside the helicopter as there was no room inside.

The escapees were:

  • Orlando Valdes Cartagena, who was serving a 254 year sentence for murder
  • Jose A. Perez Rodriguez, who was serving a 319 year sentence for murder
  • Victor Gonzalez Diaz, who was serving a 113 year sentence
  • Hector Marrero Diaz, who was serving 109 year sentence
  • Jose M. Rojas Tapia, who was serving a 100 year sentence.

Of the five, only Victor Gonzalez Diaz wasn’t recaptured immediately. The inmates claimed to have killed him soon after the break-out. He later surrendered himself to authorities in January 2003.[27]
2003 Luynnes prison France Successful attempt Eric Alboreo
Franck Perletto
Michel Valero		 Pascal Payet organized the helicopter escape of three men Franck Perletto, Eric Alboreo, and Michel Valero from Luynnes prison using a hijacked helicopter.[28] Payet himself escaped from the same Luynnes prison in 2001.[8] He and the three men were later captured but in July 2007 again escaped by helicopter from Grasse prison in south-east France.
July 2005 France France Failed attempt — A helicopter escape attempt was foiled when alarms were set off as the helicopter tried to land on the roof.[7]
December 10, 2005 Aiton Prison France Successful attempt — On December 10, 2005 two men rented a helicopter under the pretence of using it to do some back country cross-country skiing. Brandishing guns the men forced the pilot to land in the yard of the Aiton prison where three inmates boarded the helicopter. One inmate was serving time for a drugs related conviction, one for armed robbery and the third for leading a robbery. The helicopter landed in open country near Grenoble where they left the pilot after relieving him of his phone and radio.[7]
June 6, 2006 Korydallos Prison Greece Successful attempt Paleokostas, VassilisVassilis Paleokostas On June 6, 2006 Nikos Paleokostas and another man hijacked a helicopter forcing it to land on the roof of the Korydallos Prison. Two convicts scrambled on, Nikos’s brother, Vassilis Paleokostas who was sentenced to a 25 year sentence for kidnapping and bank robbery and Alket Rizai, who was serving a life sentence for manslaughter. The helicopter flew to a nearby graveyard from where they fled on motorcycles.[9]
April 15, 2007 Liege prison Belgium Successful attempt Benallal, NordinNordin Benallal On April 15, 2007 two men hijacked a rented helicopter at an airstrip near the city of Sint-Truiden, about 64 kilometres (40 mi) east of Brussels, saying they were tourists from Marseilles in southern France. They then forced the pilot to a prison in Liege, Belgium to free Nordin Benallal the "jailbreak king". Benallal has previously escaped from prisons in France and Spain.[29]
July 15, 2007 Grasse prison France Successful attempt Payet, PascalPascal Payet Pascal Payet, 43, escaped for the 3rd time from Grasse prison using a helicopter that was hijacked by four masked men from Cannes-Mandelieu airport (CEQ).[8] The helicopter landed some time later at Brignoles, 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-east of Toulon,France on the Mediterranean coast.

Payet and his accomplices then fled the scene and the pilot was released unharmed. Payet gained notoriety for using a helicopter in 2001 to escape from Luynes prison in southern France and then while still on the run in 2003 organized another escape for fellow inmates from the same Luynes prison. Payet had been serving a 30 year sentence for a murder committed during a robbery on a security van.[30]
October 28, 2007 Ittre prison Belgium Successful attempt Benallal, NordinNordin Benallal On Oct 28, 2007 Nordin Benallal, self-styled "escape king" arranged accomplices to hijack a helicopter near a prison in Ittre, 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Brussels, Belgium[29]. However, the helicopter was swarmed by other prisoners, floundered and crashed. Benallal and his cohorts then seized two prison guards as hostages and fled in a car parked nearby. He was arrested again two days later by Dutch police in The Hague.[31]

Nordin Benallal faces over 50 years of jail time has several convictions for armed robbery, carjacking, and previous escape attempts. He has previously run from a prison van, walked out of jail wearing a wig and sunglasses and scaled a prison wall with a rope ladder.[32]
February 22, 2009 Korydallos Prison Greece Successful attempt Paleokostas, VasilisVasilis Paleokostas
Alket Rizai		 On February 22, 2009 Vasilis Paleokostas and another man (Alket Rizai) escaped from Korydallos Prison by helicopter. They had escaped in a similar manner during 2006 but they were eventually arrested. Their new prison break took place while their trial for the 2006 helicopter-assisted escape was ongoing. It is notable that they were transferred to Korydallos Prison just one day before their new escape, in order to attend their trial.[33].
April 27, 2009 Domenjod Prison, Réunion France Successful attempt Verbard, JulianoJuliano Verbard
Alexin Jismy
Fabrice Michel		 Juliano Verbard was a guru of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary launched in 2002 on the island of Réunion, a French territory in the Indian Ocean. He was arrested and jailed 15 years[34] in February 2008 for attacks on children aged nine and 13.[35]

On April 27,2009 Juliano Verbard escaped from the Domenjod Prison near Saint-Denis on the island of Réunion. Three armed accomplices, posing as tourists, hijacked a helicopter and landed in the exercise yard of the prison.[36] He escaped with two followers, father and son duo, Alexin Jismy and Fabrice Michel. Once the three were aboard they took off and landed in a nearby clearing where a van was waiting.[36] He was recaptured on May 6, 2009.[37]

[edit] Escapes in fiction

Media type Title Release date Details
Film Breakout 1975 Breakout is a 1975 film starring Charles Bronson and Robert Duvall, in which a helicoptor is used to escape a prison.[38]
TV Prisoner 1984 In the Australian soap opera Prisoner, Marie Winter (Maggie Millar) escaped in a 1984 episode by dangling from the landing gear from a helicopter.[39]
Film Amerikanskaya doch (American Daughter) 1995 In the end of the film Amerikanskaya doch (American Daughter) an adolescent American girl (played by Allison Whitbeck) helps her Russian father Alexei (Vladimir Mashkov) and another inmate escape from the prison using a helicopter.
Film Spy Game 2001 Spy Game is a 2001 drama film, directed by Tony Scott, and starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt who played Tom Bishop. Bishop is rescued from a Chinese prison by a helicopter nearly 15 minutes prior to his scheduled execution.[40]
Film xXx: State of the Union 2005 In the film xXx: State of the Union, the character Darius Stone (played by Ice Cube) escapes the U.S. disciplinary barracks by jumping to a waiting helicopter.[41]
TV Prison Break 2007 The third season of the television series Prison Break features an abortive attempt to escape by helicopter from the fictional Sona prison in Panama.[42]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Chopper escape from Mountjoy". Republican News. 2001. http://republican-news.org/archive/2001/November01/01hist.html. Retrieved on May 14 2009. 
  2. ^ a b c "The Helicopter Caper". TIME. June 9, 1986. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961592,00.html. Retrieved on May 28 2009. 
  3. ^ David McMillan (in ENGLISH). Escape: The True Story of the Only Westerner Ever to Break Out of the Bangkok Hilton (July 3, 2008 ed.). Mainstream Publishing. pp. 320. ISBN 1845963458. 
  4. ^ a b "David Peter McMillan". melbourne crime. 2007. http://www.melbournecrime.bizhosting.com/david.mcmillan.htm. Retrieved on May 15, 2009. 
  5. ^ a b c "Whirlaway". TIME. Aug. 30, 1971. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909935,00.html. Retrieved on May 2, 2009. 
  6. ^ a b Eliot Asinof (in ENGLISH). The 10-second jailbreak;: The helicopter escape of Joel David Kaplan (1973 ed.). Holt, Rinehart and Winston; 1st edition. pp. 268. ISBN 003001011X. 
  7. ^ a b c d e f "French jailbirds stage yet another helicopter escape". Times Online. 2005. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article757427.ece. Retrieved on 11 December 2005. 
  8. ^ a b c d "French inmate in second breakout". BBC News. 14 July 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6899274.stm. Retrieved on May 28 2009. 
  9. ^ a b "Two flee Greek jail in helicopter". BBC News. June 4, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/5046986.stm. Retrieved on 4 June 2006. 
  10. ^ The Sydney Morning Herald; Date: Jan 21, 1983
  11. ^ United Press International (November 6, 1986). "Around the natoin; Woman Escapes Prison In a Hijacked Helicopter". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/06/us/around-the-nation-woman-escapes-prison-in-a-hijacked-helicopter.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/H/Helicopters. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  12. ^ "Lovers Sentenced in Escape From Prison in a Helicopter". New York Times. July 19, 1987. http://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/19/us/lovers-sentenced-in-escape-from-prison-in-a-helicopter.html?sec=&pagewanted=print. Retrieved on May 14 2009. 
  13. ^ "Headliners; Back in the Arms of the Law". New York Times. November 23, 1986. http://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/23/weekinreview/headliners-back-in-the-arms-of-the-law.html?sec=&spon=. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  14. ^ "Inmate Locator - Locate Federal inmates from 1982 to present". Federal Bureau of Prisons. 2009. http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=Samantha+&Middle=&LastName=Lopez&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=68&y=9. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  15. ^ "Helicopter escape still remembered 19 years on". Johnston Press Digital Publishing. October 03, 2006. http://www.harboroughmail.co.uk/features/Prison-official-recounts-jailbreak-in.1800769.jp. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  16. ^ "United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. - 943 F.2d 1543". United States courts of appeals. Oct. 11, 1991. http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F2/943/1543/86198/. Retrieved on May 15, 2009. 
  17. ^ Associated Press (August 19, 1989). "2 Women in a Helicopter Free 2 Convicts, but All Are Caught". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/19/us/2-women-in-a-helicopter-free-2-convicts-but-all-are-caught.html. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  18. ^ "Dramatic prison escape in Puerto Rico". BBC News. December 31, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2616401.stm. Retrieved on May 15, 2009. 
  19. ^ "Helicopter pilot dies in Dutch prison escape bid". Media Awareness Project. September 18, 1997. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v97.n430.a03.html. Retrieved on May 28 2009. 
  20. ^ Ellen Connolly (July 21, 2001). "Lucy in the sky with convict lands seven years in jail". Irish Examiner. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/07/21/story8511.asp. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  21. ^ "Mastermind of helicopter jailbreak freed early". The Sydney Morning Herald. May 9, 2006. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mastermind-of-helicopter-jailbreak-freed-early/2006/05/08/1146940478180.html. Retrieved on May 28 2009. 
  22. ^ Andrew Goldstein (June 11, 2000). "The Boy Who Loved Me". TIME. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,47147,00.html. Retrieved on May 18, 2009. 
  23. ^ "Report No. 99-58 - Special Review Escape from Martin Treatment Center for Sexually Violent Predators". Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/reports/pdf/9958rpt.pdf. Retrieved on May 18 2009. 
  24. ^ "Helicopter escape from French prison". BBC News. March24, 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1240396.stm. Retrieved on 28 May 2009. 
  25. ^ Associated Press (28 May 2001). "Guards freed in prison hostage drama". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/guards-freed-in-prison-hostage-drama-686237.html. Retrieved on May 4, 2009. 
  26. ^ "Helicopter escape from Brazil prison". BBC News. 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1767103.stm. Retrieved on 17 January 2002. 
  27. ^ Associated Press (December 30, 2002). "Helicopter swoops down to Puerto Rican prison, flies away with five escaping prisoners". The Seattle Times. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20021230&slug=webhijack30. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  28. ^ "Les évadés de la prison de Luynes arrêtés dans la Drôme". investigateur.info. May 10, 2003. http://www.investigateur.info/news/articles/article_2003_05_10_prison.html. Retrieved on May 27, 2009 2007. 
  29. ^ a b "Jailbreak sparks Belgium outcry". BBC News. 30 October 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7068931.stm. Retrieved on May 28, 2009. 
  30. ^ "Killer stages second helicopter prison break". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). July 15, 2007. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22077296-5006003,00.html. Retrieved on July 15 2007. 
  31. ^ Agence France-Presse (October 31, 2007). "Escape artist nabbed after spectacular prison break". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/fugitive-nabbed-after-spectacular-prison-break/2007/10/31/1193618951992.html. Retrieved on May 28, 2009. "A notorious criminal, who escaped from a Belgian prison after a hijacked helicopter crash-landed inside the prison grounds, has been recaptured in The Hague after a hold-up." 
  32. ^ Richard Holt and Matthew Moore (Nov 02, 2007). "Belgian Ronnie Biggs' captured robbing shop". Sunday Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1568067/Belgian-Ronnie-Biggs-captured-robbing-shop.html. Retrieved on May 28, 2009. 
  33. ^ "Prison break repeat shocks Greece". BBC news. February 22, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5046986.stm. Retrieved on May 28, 2009. 
  34. ^ "Cult leader escapes jail in helicopter". BBC News. April 27, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8021789.stm. Retrieved on May 23, 2009. 
  35. ^ correspondents in Saint Denis (April 27, 2009). "Pedophile cult leader Juliano Verbard escapes from Reunion prison". The Sunday Times. http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25394441-950,00.html. Retrieved on May 23, 2009. 
  36. ^ a b Idris Issa (April 27, 2009). "Cult leader escapes from French jail in helicopter". FRANCE 24. http://www.france24.com/en/20090427-cult-leader-escapes-french-jail-helicopter. Retrieved on May 28, 2009. 
  37. ^ "Escaped cult leader re-captured". BBC News. 6 May 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8037082.stm. Retrieved on 23 May 2009. 
  38. ^ "Breakout". Yahoo.com. May 14, 2009. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800041137/info. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  39. ^ "Prisoner: Cell Block H". maggiemillar.net. 2009. http://www.maggiemillar.net/prisoner.html. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  40. ^ "Spy Game - Brad Pitt as Tom Bishop". bradpittnow.com. 2009. http://www.bradpittnow.com/movies/spy_game/brad_pitt_spy_game.php. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  41. ^ Mickey Ellison (July 7, 2005). "xXx: State of the Union - DVD". Filmhobbit. Cinema Blend LLC. http://www.filmhobbit.com/dvds/xXx-State-of-the-Union-1060.html. Retrieved on May 14, 2009. 
  42. ^ "Bang and Burn". prisonbreakmanhunt. November 19, 2007. http://www.prisonbreakmanhunt.com/s03e08. Retrieved on May 15, 2009. 
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