Haiti prison escape: Manhunt launched after 174 inmates break out of jail amid deadly riot

Jamie Bullen23 October 2016

A huge-scale manhunt is underway in Haiti after 174 inmates escaped from a jail in Haiti following a riot in which a guard was killed.

The prison break took place in Arcahaie, a coastal town about 30 miles north of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, on Saturday when guards were overpowered.

One worker was killed and others were injured when the mostly barefoot prisoners stormed from the jail.

The escapees stole a cache of weapons with some exchanging gun battles with police during the chaotic breakout.

Breakout: A prison cell is empty after inmates escaped from the Civil Prison in the coastal town of Arcahaiea
AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery

Authorities say the riot broke out after inmates were released from a crammed holding pen to bathe.

Prisons in the Caribbean nation are notoriously overcrowded with many inmates spending years in pre-trial detention.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many escaped prisoners were convicted of serious crimes and how many were awaiting trial.

Residents were asked to follow authorities' instructions as a manhunt intensified on Saturday night.

The US embassy has advised all American citizens to avoid the area due to the escape.

Additional reporting by Associated Press

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