15 Feb 2011

19 prisoners escape West Papua jail

6:25 am on 15 February 2011

Nineteen inmates have reportedly escaped from Manokwari Prison in the Indonesian province of West Papua.

The Jakarta Globe reports that the inmates managed to flee after wounding a prison guard and pulling down the main gate, in what is described by the warden as a carefully planned jailbreak.

The escape was staged soon after a religious service when inmates were able to distract the guards.

Police and prison officials say they have started to track down the escapees.