Six prison inmates die after 14-hour siege in Taiwan

Six armed inmates attempting to escape a southern Taiwan prison killed themselves, ending a 14-hour siege after holding the prison warden and head guard hostage.

The deaths occurred after 5am on Wednesday in Taiwan, deputy justice minister Chen Ming-tang said in a briefing carried on Taiwan television channels.

The warden was held until the suicides occurred while the head guard had been released earlier, according to a statement released by the prison.

“We avoided storming the prison and hoped the inmates wouldn’t kill themselves,” Chen said.

“We regret these deaths.”

The inmates had demanded that authorities deliver two cars to facilitate a prison break, Taiwan’s Sanlih E-Television reported.

President Ma Ying-jeou called for a review of Taiwan's corrections system and for security improvements to be implemented immediately, according to a statement from Mr Ma's office.

In a briefing late Wednesday, Chen said the prisoners attempting to escape were serving sentences of 25 years to life without parole for convictions such as burglary and murder.

The kidnappers later requested sorghum alcohol and released the prison officer after receiving it, according to Chen.

The inmates, unhappy about their treatment at a prison in the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung, first seized two guards on Wednesday, taking their rifles, the Taipei-based Central News Agency reported. The warden negotiated with the prisoners and volunteered for a hostage swap. Five officials were slightly injured, Chen said. The incident was the first time a prison warden was taken hostage in Taiwan, according to cable network TVBS.

Bloomberg