KUALA LUMPUR: No tools were used by the Rohingya escapees when breaking out of the Sungai Bakap Temporary Immigration Detention Depot in Kedah on Wednesday (April 20).

       Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud (pic), when contacted by Bernama, said all the foreign inmates escaped by breaking the doors and the barrier grills using brute force.

       ALSO READ: Ten dead after riot at Immigration repot leads to massive prison break

       "They only used their bare hands,” he said when asked to comment if the inmates had used any kind of tools to escape the depot.

       He said the depot, which was leased last year with a capacity of up to 700 detainees, was tightly controlled by the department and the Malaysian Volunteers Corps Department (Rela).

       ALSO READ: Depot riot: Manhunt launched for remaining 176 escapees, say Kedah police

       Khairul Dzaimee also said 61 Immigration personnel and 45 Rela staff had been assigned to guard the depot with another 15 personnel being put on standby at every shift rotation.

       Earlier Wednesday morning, 528 Rohingya fled the Sungai Bakap depot. There were 664 inmates at the centre at the time.

       ALSO READ: Depot riot: Penang cops recapture 229 Rohingya detainees near NSE

       A total of 357 escapees were recaptured including six who were killed when they were crossing the highway at Kilometer 168 of the PLUS highway southbound near Jawi. - Bernama