Top 10 Amazing Prison Escapes

Discover the most incredible prison escapes in history, from the audacious Colditz glider escape to the daring Maze Prison break. Explore how these prisoners defied the odds and the remarkable stories behind their escapes.

Colditz Escape

During World War II, British pilots Jack Best and Bill Goldfinch attempted an audacious escape from Colditz Castle by building a glider from stolen materials. Although they never used the glider due to the camp’s liberation by the Allies, their innovative plan was later proven to be feasible.

The Great Escape

In 1943, seventy-six prisoners of war escaped from Stalag Luft III by digging three tunnels. They used creative methods like rail cars and air pumps to aid their escape. While only three managed to evade capture, their daring effort remains legendary.

Pascal Payet

 Pascal Payet made headlines by escaping from high-security French prisons twice using hijacked helicopters. Despite his later capture and escape with the help of friends, he was eventually recaptured in Spain after undergoing cosmetic surgery.

Libby Prison Escape

In 1864, 109 Union soldiers escaped from Libby Prison by digging a tunnel to a nearby warehouse. Fifty-nine of them made it to Union lines, making it a notable escape from an American Civil War prison.

Escape from Alcatraz

In 1962, Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers executed a famous escape from Alcatraz by burrowing through their cells and building a raft. Although their fate remains unknown, the escape remains one of the most intriguing in history.

Sławomir Rawicz

Sławomir Rawicz and six other prisoners escaped from a Siberian labor camp during a blizzard. They walked four thousand miles to India over nearly a year, with only four of the group surviving the grueling journey.

Alfréd Wetzler

Alfréd Wetzler, a Slovak Jew, escaped from Auschwitz with Rudolf Vrba in 1944. Their escape led to the Vrba-Wetzler report, which exposed the horrors of the camp to the Allies.

The Texas Seven

In 2000, the Texas Seven escaped from the John Connally Unit by overpowering guards and using a maintenance truck. They were caught a month later thanks to a television show, with five members remaining on death row.

Alfred Hinds

Known as “Houdini Hinds,” Alfred Hinds made headlines for his daring escapes, including one from Nottingham Prison where he slipped through locked doors and a tall wall. He later sued for illegal arrest but lost the case.

Maze Prison Escape

 In 1983, thirty-eight IRA prisoners executed the largest prison escape in British history from the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland. Using smuggled guns and a food delivery truck, they managed to escape from one of Europe’s most secure prisons.