ATHENS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Two prisoners, one native Greek and one Albanian, staged a spectacular escape on Sunday in a prison near Athens when a hijacked helicopter landed in the jail and brought them away, Semi-official ANA-MPA reported.

    After picking up the two inmates at Korydallos jail near Piraeus, the helicopter dropped them off near a cemetery not far from the prison, police quoted witnesses as saying. The two prisoners drove off on motorcycles, according to witnesses.

    Police said that the prisoners escaped with the help of two accomplices who had hired the helicopter from the southern coastal suburb of Agios Kosmas.

    The accomplices threatened the helicopter's pilot with a pistol and a hand grenade, forcing him to land in the prison yard before taking the two escapees. Enditem