Photo: le journal de Montreal
The dramatic video footage shows prisoners Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau and Danny Provencal escaping from a Montreal detention centre
Two prisoners escaped custody in Quebec via a helicopter
Came to light during trial of one of two escapees, Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau
It took him and fellow inmate Danny Provencal six minutes to flee
- They were helped by two armed accomplices who tried to haul them up the wall
Scroll down for video after cut ...
Astonishing footage shows the nerve-jangling moment two inmates escaped via a helicopter that landed on the roof - and no guards tried to stop them despite it taking six minutes.
It was filmed by prison guards in Quebec three years ago and has come to light during the unrelated trial of one of the two escapees, Hells Angels sympathizer Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau.
Clinging to a rope that was precariously dangling from a helicopter, Hudon-Barbeau and fellow inmate Danny Provencal managed to flee the detention centre.
Photo: le journal de Montreal
The footage, from March 17, 2013, has been made public during the unrelated trial of Hudon-Barbeau - who is on trial on two counts of first-degree murder and three of attempted murder
In the video, which has been made public for the first time, Hudon-Barbeau and Provencal take six excruciating minutes to escape.
The bungling prisoners first tried to scale the rope attached to the helicopter, helped by two accomplices.
After one slipped down the rope, the helicopter pilot then tried to pull them clear by starting the chopper - but that proved fruitless.
Their two accomplices, who were armed, then tried to haul them onto the ledge but that also failed.
They started the helicopter again and finally, on the fourth attempt and six minutes later, they flew clear of the jail.
But their great escape proved in vain as they were apprehended just hours later following a stand-off with police.
The union that represents the prison guards said they did not have guns to confront the armed accomplices, and so they had no option but to watch the drama unfold through the security cameras.
Mathieu Lavoie, president of Peace Officers in Correctional Services of Quebec, said: 'We have to evaluate who's on board the helicopter - they were accomplices. Were they armed? We cannot intervene with inmates climbing a rope.
'It's only in the movies that you can shoot down a helicopter with a handgun.'
He added that since the incident on March 17, 2013, nothing has changed and no new security measures have been put in place.
Instead, the union have called for stricter searches, particularly those that would detect cellphones.
Photo: le journal de Montreal
One of the inmates broke off a light as he knocked it while clinging to the rope hanging from the helicopter
Photo: le journal de Montreal
After a six minute attempted escape, the prisoners finally flew clear - but they were caught only hours later
Photo: le journal de Montreal
Guards were not able to shoot at the escapees as they are not armed inside the prison walls
The mastermind who planned the job, Bill Beaudoin, pleaded guilty in January, while accomplice Steven Mathieu Marchisio accepted his role in the jail break and was handed an 15 year prison sentence.
Provencal pleaded guilty to the escape last year and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Earlier this year, Hudon-Barbeau, 38, was set to go on trial for the escape when he changed his plea to guilty at the last minute.
He is currently on trial on two separate counts of first-degree murder and three of attempted murder.
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