Prisoners who escaped from Indonesian prison drown hours later

Jakarta: Indonesian police say four illegal Afghan immigrants have drowned and five others are missing a day after breaking out of a detention facility in eastern Indonesia.

The men were among 18 from Afghanistan and Myanmar who overpowered guards Wednesday, seriously injuring three.

Police spokesman Okto Riwu said the escaped men were taken to a motorboat that capsized in a storm hours later.

He said nine survivors were returned to custody and a search team scoured the choppy waters for the missing.

They were apparently trying to arrange a boat trip to Australia when they were detained in Kupang, eastern Indonesia, in December without proper identification.