Russian prisoner flees on hijacked chopper

In a bizarre incident, a convicted murderer escaped from a prison in Russia on a helicopter hijacked by the criminal's accomplices, officials said.

Police in Vologda region are searching for the murderer who escaped Thursday from the the high-security prison in Sheksna town. The prison houses about 1,700 inmates.

The man named Alexei Shestakov has served half of his 24-year term for murder, police said.
He used a rope ladder to climb on to the helicopter. Prison guards opened fire at the chopper but failed to prevent the escape.

The Mil Mi-2 (Hoplite) helicopter's crew was apparently forced to fly towards the prison by the criminal's accomplices, police said.
The chopper was later found in the regional capital.