In Quebec, 3 Inmates Escape Prison Using Helicopter

By Eyder Peralta / NPR

Published June 8, 2014 at 8:47 AM PDT

This story was published more than 9 years ago.

Denis Lefebvre, 53, is one of the three inmates who escaped using a helicopter.

It's happened again: Three inmates at a Canadian prison have escaped using a helicopter.

"A Sûreté du Québec spokesperson confirmed to CBC News that the prison break occurred at 7:45 p.m. ET from Orsainville Detention Centre and the inmates fled westbound in a green helicopter."'We are talking closely with the detention centre to figure out exactly how the escape transpired,' said Ann Mathieu. 'The priority number one is to find the helicopter.'"Police are now searching for Yves Denis, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and 49-year-old Serge Pomerleau."In 2010, Lefebvre was arrested by provincial police after a drug operation bust known as Project Crayfish that led to dozens of arrests. He was reported to have had ties to the Hells Angels."

If you remember, this same sort of escape happened back in March of 2013. As Mark reported a helicopter swooped in over a prison near Montreal and airlifted two convicts.

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Both of them were tracked down and brought to justice.

In this case, The Toronto Star reports a green helicopter landed in the detention center's courtyard at around 7:45 p.m. Saturday.

Authorities have now widened the search to include the rest of Québec, Canada and parts of the United States.

All three of the escaped inmates were awaiting trial.