Canadian Helicopter Jailbreak Escapees Now Captured

Nearly two weeks ago, three men escaped from a Canadian prison in a daring breakout worthy of a Hollywood action movie.

The men escaped from a detention center in Quebec City via helicopter.

“A helicopter touched down briefly in the courtyard before taking off with the three prisoners,” Ann Mathieu, a spokeswoman for Quebec Provincial Police told CNN.

A manhunt immediately ensued for the three escapees, Yves Denis Yvon Lamontagne, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and Serge Pomerleau, 49.

News reports indicated that Lamontagne and Lefebvre were arrested in 2010 during a drug bust where police found weapons, a dozen cars, and even a plane during the bust. The two men were awaiting trial.

Although the escape was brilliant in its planning and brazen in its attempt, apparently the Canadian prisoners did not get clearance to fly far enough from authorities. Quebec police arrested the men early Sunday, and now, they are back where they started at the Orsainville Detention Centre in Quebec City.

“The prisoners were arrested at 1:30 in the morning in Montreal. The SWAT team made the arrest and those three people will appear in court… Monday in Quebec City,” Quebec police spokesman Sgt. Ronald Mc Innis told CNN.

At the time of this news report, the helicopter pilot has not been caught, according to the National Post.

Although helicopter escapes are not common, this is not the first time that Canada had an issue with helicopter escapes.

In March 2013, two men posing as tourists hijacked a helicopter from a Canadian tour company, ordered the pilot to fly over a detention center near Montreal, lifted two inmates into the hovering aircraft using cables — and flew away.

In Greece, an inmate escaped twice by helicopter-once in 2006 and then again in 2009. Another inmate also tried the same trick last year at the same Greek prison, but was shot.

A day before the Canadian trio escaped from Orsainville Detention Centre, they were placed on heavy restrictions by a judge, says the Canadian Press.

[Photo Credit: Canadian Press]