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Prisoner seizes NZ airport bus
14/03/2008 10:54 - (SA)
Wellington - A prisoner being transferred escaped his guards and commandeered a tourist bus at New Zealand's biggest airport on Friday before being recaptured, an official said.
The unidentified man, described as "screaming and yelling very violently," seized the bus outside the domestic terminal at Auckland Airport and offloaded 20 passengers before driving toward the international terminal.
The man was being transferred between facilities with six other prisoners when he broke free from his guards, Corrections Department regional manager Warren Cummins said on Friday.
"He tried to take a taxi but was unsuccessful" and turned to the bus, police Inspector Richard Middleton told the New Zealand Herald.
The prisoner - who was handcuffed throughout the incident - was caught by members of the public and police after about 20 minutes when the bus stopped near the international terminal, the newspaper reported.
Sue Sullivan, general manager of EX Group which manages the Airbus Express bus seized by the man, said the passengers had been taken to their destinations and that there were no injuries.
The woman bus driver felt traumatised and was being counselled, she said.
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