Two Nusakambangan inmates escape

CILACAP, Central Java: One of two inmates from a Nusakambangan island penitentiary who escaped Friday has been recaptured, police said Saturday.

Banyumas police chief Col. Binarto told The Jakarta Post that the prisoners, Lana Antoni, 35, and Sofyan Hadi, 40, were serving 17 years for narcotics trafficking and 41 months for piracy at sea respectively .

Cilacap police and coast guards have been searching the waters of Nusakambangan, Kampunglaut, and Segera Anakan to Kalipucang near the Banjar district in the Ciamis regency.

They apprehended Lana who tried to cross to Cilacap in a fishing boat but the search is continuing for Sofyan who is thought to be hiding in Nusakambangan's forests.

Nusakambangan has four penitentiaries, Batu, Besi, Kembangkuning and Permisan housing 500 hardcore criminals from across the country. (wah/01)