PARIS, Dec. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- A French helicopter was hijacked Saturday to airlift three prisoners out of captivity at Aiton, eastern France, police told the local media.

    The chopper made a surprise landing in the yard of the prison to take on board the three inmates aged between 25 and 35. The whole episode lasted only 30 seconds.

    The helicopter was booked a month ago at Albertville in the French Alps to pick up two cross-country skiers. It was seized by two men 15 minutes before the pilot was forced to touch down in the jail's yard.

    The five men landed in open country near Grenoble, which is not far away from the Aiton prison. The pilot was left unhurt although his phone and radio were taken away by the escapees.

    No shots or injuries were reported when the incident took place at the prison holding 500 people. Prison officials said they had no security mesh against such a swoop -- only larger jails could be adequately funded to have the precautions.

    In a similar case reported in eastern France in July, a helicopter attempted to land on a prison roof to pick up detainees, but it set off the alarm and failed in the jailbreak operation. Enditem