No-fly zones put on 3 Quebec jails after helicopter escape

Three Quebec detentionfacilities now have air exclusion zones around themto tighten up security after the second escape by helicopter in just over ayear.

Yesterday, the provinces public security minister, Lise Thriault, announced the no fly zones over facilitiesin Saint-Jrome, RiviredesPrairies, and Orsainville near Quebec City where three inmates escaped by helicopter three weeks ago.

• Quebec police search for 3 inmates after helicopter jailbreak

The OrsainvilleDetention Centre had a temporary "no fly" zonefor three days after the escape.

It's not clear how long the zones will be in place, although the one in Orsainville is expected to last at least until September.

Thriault said the latitude and the longitude of the flight exclusion zones are now public, and all pilots should know those coordinates.

She said other requests forexclusion zones are also being considered.

suspected jailbreak plan

The three inmatesYves Denis, 35, DenisLefebvre, 53, and Pomerleau, 49 made their brazen escape by helicopter from the yard in Orsainvilleon June 7 while awaiting trial on charges of drug trafficking.

The three were also facing murder charges.

The men were classified under the tightest security measures available to the Orsainvillejail authorities.

Newly released court documents confirmed that Quebec provincial police suspected the fugitiveswere planning an escape attempt.

• Quebec police suspected jailbreak plan, court documents show
• Quebec jailbreak: escape by helicopter was 'well-planned'

Those revelations prompted questions from QuebecPublic Security MinisterLise Thriaultabout how seriously authorities had taken the risk of the prisoners' escape.