Six inmates escaped at around 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday from Saint-Hubert penitentiary, according to the prison administration, which clarified an earlier report in Het Nieuwsblad that initially mentioned seven fugitives.
Three of the escapees were quickly recaptured by police after injuring their legs while jumping over the towering six-metre-high fence surrounding the facility, the prison administration and the Semois-et-Lesse police zone stated.
Authorities continued the search for the remaining three escapees, with support from a helicopter and tracking dogs. Two of the three were recaptured late Wednesday evening.
Saint-Hubert prison operates under a semi-open detention regime, featuring a farm and garden. “These are inmates who can live in a semi-open environment, have the ability to live in a community, and already have the opportunity for special outings,” Valérie Callebaut, the prison's spokesperson, explained.
According to the Luxembourg prosecutor’s office, the fugitives were not considered particularly dangerous. Most were convicted for theft, drug-related offenses or illegal residency, the prosecutor’s spokesperson noted, adding that they were not known to have committed acts of physical violence.
This is not the first mass escape from Saint-Hubert prison. In April 2023, ten inmates escaped after cutting a hole in the fence with a grinder.
In 2012, three prisoners broke out by smashing their cell window and sliding down bedsheets from the first floor.
