No handcuffs?

Prisoner escapes from hospital in Vienna

Symbolic image

(Bild: P. Huber)

Another prisoner has managed to escape from a hospital in Vienna. The police are on a large-scale operation. According to the Ministry of Justice, the incident is said to have occurred in the course of "official misconduct". According to the latest, as yet unconfirmed information, the 20-year-old inmate was probably in custody on suspicion of terrorism.

A 20-year-old inmate of the Josefstadt prison, who is said to be an Austrian citizen with Tunisian roots, escaped during a hospital appointment in the midday hours on Friday. According to the latest information from APA, which has not yet been officially confirmed, the young man was in custody on suspicion of terrorism and was "parked" in Josefstadt prison on the basis of a European arrest warrant.

The ministry responded to the man's escape with 21 raids in institutions and a round table where it was decided to tighten security measures. The police have been on a large-scale operation since Friday afternoon with the riot unit, the service dog unit and the WEGA. 

"Misconduct on the part of individual officers"
The Ministry of Justice explained how the felon was able to escape as follows: "With regard to the current case, it should be noted that the circumstances known to date point to misconduct on the part of individual officers."

Apparently, an officer had forgotten to handcuff the prisoner. However, the details are still being investigated, the "Krone" was told.

Terrorist offenses among other things
The 20-year-old fugitive had most recently been in prison for robbery and assault. He was taken into custody immediately after his release in January. The reason for this was an urgent suspicion in connection with investigations into terrorist offenses. The reasons for his arrest were the risk of committing a crime and the risk of absconding. As the Josefstadt correctional facility has a hospital ward, the man was transferred to the federal capital.

Series of escapes in November
Last November, several prisoners managed to escape - at least temporarily - within the space of a few weeks. 

At the beginning of November, for example, an inmate from the Schwarzau women's prison escaped during an unaccompanied inpatient stay at the Lower Austrian Regional Hospital in Wiener Neustadt.

On November 13, a 16-year-old inmate from Gerasdorf prison escaped during a hospital examination at Wiener Neustadt Regional Hospital. One day later, a prisoner from Stein prison, who had been imprisoned for aggravated robbery among other things, escaped. On November 23, a prisoner from the Vienna General Hospital escaped. All but the prisoner from Stein prison have since been recaptured.