5 Most Sensational Prison Escapes Of All Time

No one likes to be caged including animals and humans. But for certain things we do that break the trust of society, humans have to spend time in a prison. Being in a prison can be quite challenging and frustrating, which is why many convicts attempt to break free. The most desperate are likely to be convicts who have received life sentence without the possibility of parole. People on death row can also think about escaping from prison, as these people have nothing to lose.

To avoid prison life, a number of insane prison escapes have been executed in the past. Even though many prisons are quite secure, convicts are still able to find a way out. To get a better idea, here’s a quick look at some of the most unbelievable prison escapes of all time.

Alcatraz escape – Located on an island, around 1.25 miles from coast of San Francisco, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was considered nearly impossible to escape. Many attempts were made, but all had proved unsuccessful. Things changed in 1962, when 3 people, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin managed to escape from the prison. They used ventilation ducts to escape from their cells. A small inflatable raft built using old raincoats was used to cross the sea. According to FBI, all three escapees had probably drowned in the water. But many believe that they are free and alive today.

Richard Lee McNair – Richard was convicted for first-degree murder as well as attempted murder. His first escape was from North Dakota State Penitentiary, where he escaped through ventilation pipe. His most daring prison escape was in 2006 from a federal prison in Pollock, Louisiana. He had used a small storage compartment with inbuilt breathing tube. With Richard inside, the compartment was placed near a mailbag pile. From there it was lifted to a warehouse outside the prison using a forklift.

Frank Abagnale Jr. – Instead of drilling holes in walls, Frank used a con trick on prison authorities to secure his escape. Frank was convicted of various frauds such as impersonating as a professor, an airline pilot and cashing $2 million worth of bad checks. His life was captured in the movie ‘Catch Me If You Can’. After being caught and sent to prison, Frank managed to convince the guards and authorities that he was a prison inspector working secretly for the FBI. The prison authorities themselves provided him a car when he said that he had to meet an associate outside of the prison.

Henri Charrière – As seen in movie Papillon, which is based on true events, Henri Charrière spent almost his entire life in escaping from prisons. He was convicted for murder, but he said that he was wrongly framed. His first escape was from Devil’s Island in Cayenne, French Guiana. The escapees had used a boat to drift for almost 2,000 miles. Since then, Charrière was caught and jailed many times, but he continued to escape. His last escape in 1944 was on a raft made from coconuts.

Alexander Solonik – Known to have assassinated several high-ranking NATO officials, Alexander Solonik was arrested and sent to prison for rape. Since then, he became the proverbial escape artist having escaped from multiple prison facilities. His most sensational prison break was from Matrosskaya Tishina detention center located in Moscow. He is said to be the only inmate to have successfully escaped from Matrosskaya Tishina, one of the most secure facilities in the world.