Seventeen prisoners have been shot dead and dozens are still at large after a mass escape at Papua New Guinean jail.

At least 77 male prisoners from the notoriously overcrowded prison in the city of Lae attempted a mass escape on Friday morning. Only three were apprehended, and 57 remain at large. PNG police said details were “still sketchy” but noted reports which said “authorities” shot the men.

“These are undesirable people and will be a threat to the community,” Lae police metropolitan commander Chief Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said of the escapees. “The majority of those who escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial.

“A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing.”

Wagambie Jr said he was in Port Moresby at the time of the breakout but a joint security operation by correctional services and the police was working to rearrest the escapees.

The Australian head of Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson, said the shooting was “deeply disturbing”.

“Arresting escaped prisoners is difficult and dangerous work, but Papua New Guinea authorities don’t have a licence to kill,” Pearson told the Guardian.

“It’s important that PNG authorities impartially investigate the prison break and circumstances around the killing of 17 prisoners. The government should identify and hold to account those responsible for using unnecessary or excessive force.”

Local media reports the bodies are being held at the Angau memorial hospital morgue, under guard.

Residents of Lae, PNG’s second biggest city, have again been warned of an increase in already high rates of crime.

Buimo prison has seen frequent mass escapes in recent years. Eleven men were killed and 17 wounded in February last year when almost 100 people stormed the gates.

The PNG prison system, and Buimo in particular, has been criticised for poor conditions and overcrowding.

PNG broadcaster, EMTV, reported the Lae prison held more than double its 400 capacity in February this year.

Wag­am­bie Jr warned members of the community not to shelter absconders. He also expressed concern about a rise in crime ahead of the upcoming PNG national elections.

The head of the Buimo prison has refused to comment to local media. </s> Prison officers have shot and killed 17 men who escaped from a jail near Papua New Guinea's second-largest city, Lae. "A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing."

Start the conversation, or Read more at ABC News. </s> Seventeen prisoners have been shot dead after a mass breakout at a jail in Papua New Guinea, reports said on Monday, with 57 still on the run.

Inmates from the Buimo jail in the Pacific nation's second largest city Lae made a dash for freedom after breaking out of their compound on Friday, with prison warders opening fire.

The PNG Post-Courier and The National newspapers both cited local police as confirming 17 were killed, three were caught and 57 were still at large.

"These are undesirable people and will be a threat to the community," Lae police metropolitan commander chief superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said of the escapees, warning the public to be vigilant. </s> Seventeen prisoners have been shot dead after a mass breakout at a jail in Papua New Guinea, reports said today, with 57 still on the run.

Inmates from the Buimo jail in the Pacific nation’s second largest city Lae made a dash for freedom after breaking out of their compound on Friday, with prison warders opening fire.

The PNG Post-Courier and The National newspapers both cited local police as confirming 17 were killed, three were caught and 57 were still at large.

“These are undesirable people and will be a threat to the community,” Lae police metropolitan commander Chief Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said of the escapees, warning the public to be vigilant.

“The majority of those who escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial.

“A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing.”

It is the same prison where police shot dead 12 inmates during a jailbreak last year.

Crime and lawlessness in PNG, a sprawling nation where many still live traditional and subsistence lives in remote areas, is rampant.

Wagambie urged family members and associates of the escapees not to harbour them.

“I am warning them that they will be caught. They must do what is good for them and surrender,” he said.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App now </s> SYDNEY: Seventeen prisoners have been shot dead after a mass breakout at a jail in Papua New Guinea, police said Monday, with 57 still on the run.

Inmates from the Buimo jail in the Pacific nation's second largest city of Lae made a dash for freedom after breaking out of their compound on Friday, with prison warders opening fire.

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary said in a statement 17 were killed, three were caught and 57 were still at large. "These are undesirable people and will be a threat to the community," Lae police metropolitan commander Chief Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said of the escapees, warning the public to be vigilant. "The majority of those who escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial. "A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing."Police shot dead 12 inmates during a jailbreak at the same prison last year. In 2015 more than 50 prisoners escaped from the same facility.

Jails in PNG are often overcrowded and conditions are poor. Wagambie said locals in Lae should brace for a spate of crime.

"We experienced an upsurge of criminal activities when Buimo jail reported a mass breakout last year," he said, urging family members and associates of the escapees not to harbour them.

"I am warning them that they will be caught. They must do what is good for them and surrender."

Crime and lawlessness is rampant in PNG, a sprawling nation where many still live traditional and subsistence lives in remote areas. </s> Prison guards have killed at least 17 prisoners after a mass breakout at a jail in Papua New Guinea (PNG), according to reports, with dozens of inmates still on the run.

The incident took place in Buimo jail in the Pacific nation's second-largest city, Lae, on Friday, but only became public after media reports on Monday.

"Unfortunately these incidents, tragic as they are, happen all too frequently in Papua New Guinea as there is poor accountability with police and security officers," Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International's Pacific Researcher, told the Reuters news agency.

The PNG Post-Courier and The National newspapers both cited local police as confirming 17 people were killed, three were caught and 57 were still at large.

"These are undesirable people and will be a threat to the community," Lae police metropolitan commander Chief Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said of those who escaped, warning the public to be vigilant.

"The majority of those who escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial.

"A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing."

Buimo is the same prison where police shot dead 12 inmates during a jailbreak last year. The jail, one of the largest in the country, has been criticised in the past for overcrowding and for poor prisoner conditions.

Wagambie urged family members and associates of the escapees not to harbour them.

"I am warning them that they will be caught. They must do what is good for them and surrender," he said. </s> Prison guards have shot dead 17 inmates after a mass breakout at Buimo prison in Papua New Guinea.Three prisoners have been recaptured while 57 others managed to escape and remain at large.

Authorities have warned that the escaped inmates, some of them still awaiting trial, pose a serious threat to the safety of the area.The prison in Lae, Papua New Guinea’s second largest city, has seen repeated similar escapes over the past years.

“The majority of those who escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial,” police Chief Super­in­tendent Anthony Wagambie was quoted in several local media.

“A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing. Among them are convicted prisoners.”

He warned the escapees that they would be caught and encouraged them to surrender themselves to community leaders, church elders or family members to then be taken back to prison.

Prisons in Papua New Guinea often suffer from overcrowding, poor conditions and long waiting periods for prisoners awaiting trial.

In 2016, at least 11 prisoners were shot dead and more than 70 escaped when they stormed the main gate, overpowering the guards.

The previous year, some 50 prisoners managed to escaped in a similar way. </s> PNG prison officers shoot and kill 17 prisoners who escaped from Buimo jail

Prison officers have shot and killed 17 men who escaped from a jail near Papua New Guinea's second-largest city, Lae.

The men were among 77 who broke out of the main compound of Buimo jail on Friday.

Police recaptured three and are planning an operation to recapture the rest.

Lae's Metropolitan Police Superintendent, Anthony Waigambe Jr, said most of the escapees were on remand.

"The majority of those that escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial," he said.

"A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing."

In 2016, 12 inmates were shot and killed when 94 men escaped from the same prison.

"Same thing happened last year when we had a jail break, but we were able to recapture many and lowered the crime rate," Superintendent Waigambe said.

"This time we will do it again, so the escapees must surrender and not let us go after them."

Police warned Lae residents to expect an increase in crime.

"I call on the general public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions when moving around," Superintendet Waigambe said.

"These are undesirable people and will be a threat to the community." </s> SYDNEY, May 15 (Reuters) - Prison officers in Papua New Guinea shot and killed 17 inmates involved in a mass prison break, local media reported on Monday, sparking calls for an investigation into overcrowded jails in the South Pacific nation where Australia detains asylum seekers.

Fifty escapees were still on the run from the Buimo prison in the city of Lae on Papua New Guinea's north coast, police said on their official Facebook page, warning the public that an increase in car jackings and armed robberies was likely.

"These are dangerous individuals," Lae Metropolitan Police Command said. "Police anticipate an increase in serious crimes in the city."

Local media reported than more than 70 prisoners attempted to escape from the Buimo prison, nearly 320 km (200 miles) north of the capital Port Moresby, on Friday. The Post Courier and The National newspapers reported that 17 prisoners were shot dead, three captured, and 57 were still at large.

It was the third mass breakout from Buimo in three years.

International human rights groups have repeatedly called for an inquiry into PNG jails, citing concerns about overcrowding, limited access to medical treatment and delays in court proceedings.

"Unfortunately these incidents, tragic as they are, happen all too frequently in Papua New Guinea as there is poor accountability with police and security officers," Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International's Pacific Researcher, told Reuters by telephone.

In February last year, 11 prisoners were killed in an attempted breakout at Buimo after 30 prisoners attacked guards. Fifty-five men escaped from the prison in a breakout in 2015 and two years earlier one detainee was shot dead when 44 fled the same facility in another mass escape.

Australia maintains an asylum-seeker detention centre on PNG's Manus Island, in accordance with its policy of not allowing people who attempt to reach Australia by boat to settle in the country.

The Manus camp, one of two South Pacific island asylum seeker detention centres funded by Australia, has been criticised by human right groups and the United Nations for cramp conditions, inadequate medical facilities and violence.

The PNG Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that the camp was illegal and should close, forcing Australia to confirm it would shut down the camp by the end of 2017.

Australia struck a deal with former U.S. President Barack Obama to take some detainees who were deemed refugees, an agreement criticised by President Donald Trump as a "dumb deal" when he took office earlier this year. (Reporting by Benjamin Weir; Editing by Jane Wardell and Michael Perry) </s> Police and soldiers have been sent to Papua New Guinea ’s highlands to make arrests and provide security after more than 20 people, mostly women and children, were slain in recent tribal violence over a feud that has lasted for years, officials said Wednesday.

Tokura said 20 police officers and 10 soldiers were sent to Hela to “stop any further violence and capture the killers.”

Authorities say the slaughter was probably retaliation for an ambush near Peta village on Saturday that left six or seven people dead.

Because two of the victims were pregnant, police put the death toll at 18. Officials differ on whether the attack happened on Sunday or Monday.

READ MORE: Justin Trudeau in Papua New Guinea to discuss trade with Asian leaders

In the latest attack, 16 women and children were killed this week by assailants armed with rifles in the village of Karida in Hela province, said Papua New Guinea Acting Police Commissioner Francis Tokura.

WATCH: Aerial footage shows aftermath of 7.5 magnitude quake in Papua New Guinea (Jan. 2018)

“This is a tragedy. It is an unbelievable, unthinkable and atrocious criminal act that must be dealt with swiftly and severely,” Tokura said in a statement.

“We will use all available resources to bring the killers to justice,” he added.

Prime Minister James Marape said many of the victims lived in his electorate. “Today is one of the saddest days of my life,” he said on social media.

READ MORE: Papua New Guinea to ban Facebook for a month

Marape blamed a police shortage in Hela for the lawlessness.

“How can a province of 400,000 people function with policing law and order with under 60 policemen …?” he wrote.

“To all who have guns and kill and hide behind the mask of community, learn from what I will do to criminals who killed innocent people, I am not afraid to use strongest measures in law on you,” he said, referring to the death penalty.

WATCH: Volcano eruption in Papua New Guinea surprises villagers, forces evacuation of island (Jan. 2018)

Tribal violence is common in Papua New Guinea’s interior, where villagers avenge relatives in retaliation known as payback.

Hela official Rex Humbi said the latest violence was part of a tribal war that had been waged for more than 15 years.

“The people that got killed were innocent women and children,” he said. “The police do go and investigate. They have the authority, of course, but don’t have the firepower” to bring the killers to justice.

The killers were possessed by Satan and “feed on the soul, or the spirits, of the innocents that have been lost,” Humbi said.
Papua New Guinean media reports confirm that 17 people were fatally shot by prison officers during a prison escape in Lae on May 12.