The search continues for a 19-year-old inmate who escaped from the Mittersteig correctional facility in Vienna’s Margareten district last Monday. Despite intensive police efforts, the fugitive remains at large, according to a spokesperson from the Vienna Police Department, responding to inquiries from the Austrian Press Agency (APA).

The Justice Ministry reports that this escape is one of at least 22 incidents this year involving inmates who either escaped, absconded from supervision, or failed to return from authorized leaves. Last year saw a total of 24 such incidents, with most inmates managing to flee by not returning from approved outings rather than breaking directly out of secure areas. Justice Ministry spokesperson Sina Bründler stressed that, in most cases, these leaves are adhered to as scheduled, helping inmates prepare for reintegration post-incarceration.

One of this year’s escapes occurred during a police escort, a measure used when inmates need to be transported to medical or court appointments. In 2024, over 25,000 such transfers have taken place, and last year, only four escape attempts occurred out of more than 40,000 transfers.

Bründler noted that the recent escapee reportedly used his position as a prison worker to access a scaffold attached to a building façade, using it to make his getaway. Though the exact details are still under investigation, Bründler confirmed that this escape route was immediately dismantled to prevent future incidents.

The issue of prison security came under analysis late last year following a string of inmate escapes, prompting the Justice Ministry to tighten rules for external appointments. Enhanced security measures now include handcuffing inmates with their arms behind their backs during transfers to reduce the risk of copycat escapes.

Investigations continue as authorities seek answers regarding the circumstances of the latest incident and assess additional ways to bolster security in correctional facilities across Austria.