Convicts escape prison by helicopter

ATHENS, Greece -- For the second time in their lives, two robbers escaped from a high-security Greek prison on Sunday by scaling a rope ladder to a hovering helicopter, authorities said. The escape came amid a gunbattle with guards.

Vassilis Paleokostas, 42, and Alket Rizaj, 34, were picked up by a helicopter that flew over the courtyard of Athens' Korydallos prison Sunday afternoon. The inmates climbed a ladder thrown to them by a female passenger, the Ministry of Justice said.

Guards on the ground opened fire and the woman fired back with an automatic rifle, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

Paleokostas and Rizaj escaped from the same prison in the same way three years ago.

Paleokostas and Rizaj were to appear before a magistrate today in connection with their previous escape by helicopter June 4, 2006. That operation had been masterminded by Paleokostas' elder brother Nikos, himself a convicted criminal who escaped from the same prison in 1990 during a mass breakout.