The Great Escape: Alcatraz Island's Most Notorious Breakout

                             The Great Escape: Alcatraz Island's Most                                                        Notorious Breakout

Introduction

The legendary maximum-security federal prison Alcatraz Prison, popularly referred to as "The Rock," was situated on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Some of the most dangerous criminals of America were arrested and kept there and prison's securty made it impossible for prisoner to escape. The brave and dramatic escape of three prisoners from Alcatraz on June 11, 1962, however, remains one of the most puzzling mysteries in American criminal history.

The Facility

        

The Alcatraz jail was built to keep the most dangerous criminals when it first opened its doors in 1934. A maximum-security facility, the jail was situated on a tiny island in the midst of San Francisco Bay. Some of the Famous Criminals like Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly were kept here and also The Jail is noted for its cruel wardens and strict rules to follow. 

The Escape Plan

         

Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin, and John Anglin were the three friends that escaped from Alcatraz. Morris, a criminal with a history of jail break-outs, was the brains behind the scheme. The trio spent months getting ready for the escape, making tools out of items they found inside the jail and breaking through the walls of their cells to get to the ventilation system.

In order to deceive the guards during headcounts, the convicts also made lifelike-appearing fake heads from of soap, hair, and toilet paper and placed them in their beds. They also fashioned a homemade raft to sail the bay's waters out of stolen raincoats they used as improvised life jackets.

The Evasion

On the evening of June 11, 1962, Morris, John, Clarence, and Anglin entered the ventilation system and ascended to the prison's roof. They then used an improvised rope composed of stolen raincoats to descend the building's edge. They collected all these from Prison's Saloon and other parts of prison. After arriving at the coast, the three partners inflated their raft and paddled into the night towards the bay.

The fake heads were found the following morning by guards who then launched a huge hunt for the escaped detainees. Boats, planes, and helicopters were used in the hunt, but the fugitives were never located.

The Aftermath 

One of the most puzzling mysteries in American criminal history is the Alcatraz escape. There are still persistent rumours that the three inmates may have survived their escape, despite the FBI officially closing the case in 2013 and concluding that the escapees most likely perished in the bay and their remains were never located.

Some people think that the escapees might have arrived on the mainland unnoticed before escaping to another nation. Many sightings have been reported with some saying they saw the three guys alive and well. Three males who matched the descriptions of the escapees have been seen numerous times in the years since the escape, including once in Brazil in 1975.

One of the more intriguing rumours is that on the night of the escape, a car was taken close to San Francisco Bay, and the criminals left behind wet clothes and a wallet holding the Anglin brothers' identification cards. 

In addition, a letter also came which claimed to be written by John Anglin was delivered to the San Francisco Police Department in 2015, in which he said that he was still alive and that he would turn himself in if offered medical attention. Police checked his hand-writting and confirmed its John Anglin's writting.

Despite these rumours, there hasn't been any conclusive proof that the the prisoners escaped Alcatraz alive. However, Alcatraz gained its popularity after this case an dpeople began to note this prison. 

In 1963, Alcatraz Prison was permanently Closed due to lack of fund to keep it running.