The RCMP caught six of seven Chinese
migrants Sunday who had escaped from a jail on Vancouver Island the
day before.
Chang Zou, 30, was the first
fugitive picked up about 22 hours after the group scaled a fence and
bolted from the medium-security facility.
Chang Zou
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Ground and air searches
continued. Several hours later, five more migrants were captured
with the help of an infrared camera on a helicopter.
Police said they were worried about the men who had been hiding
in dense bush nearby with no food but plenty of problems — ranging
from clouds of hungry mosquitoes to territorial bears.
The detained migrants
are among hundreds of Chinese citizens caught trying to sneak into
Canada last summer in dilapidated boats.
Many paid smugglers a life time of savings for the dangerous
voyage, only to be captured and detained by authorities on the West
Coast.
Only a small number have been granted refugee status. Many have
already been sent back to China, and the rest face deportation.
All seven men were working in the kitchen shortly before their
escape. RCMP caught up to Zou less than half a kilometre from the
Prince George Correctional Centre. They say the man was cold and
frightened.
Just over two weeks ago, another illegal migrant broke out of the
same facility. He was captured a few hours later.
