Alcatraz Escape Remains A Mystery 50 Years On

50 years on from their escape from Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, mystery still surrounds the escape of three men from the prison. Clarence Anglin and brothers Frank and John Morris made their audacious escape on 12 June 1962. The fate of the men remains unknown to this day and it’s not known whether the men did indeed escape the island or if they drowned in the waters which surround Alcatraz.

On the morning of 12 June 1962, prison guards opened the doors to the three men’s cells to find three dummy heads placed in each of the men’s beds to fool the guards into thinking they were still sleeping there and no sign of the three prisoners.

The escape was carefully planned and the men used hand-made tools to dig their way out so they could escape into the air vents before making good their escape from the prison by exiting the roof and cutting through barbed wire. It was also found that the men had made life preservers, a raft which had been made from raincoats, and the men also made a wooden paddle. The prisoners had also made a periscope so they could spot when the prison guards were coming.

The story of them men’s escape was told in Escape from Alcatraz, a film in which Clint Eastwood played one of the lead roles. The film doesn’t shed any light on the men’s fate and fifty years on it looks like it was always remain a mystery.

It said that no man ever escaped Alcatraz, although some of them did try to get away from the island and they were ever caught, killed or presumed drowned. The case of Clarence Anglin and Frank and John Morris remains open and some people say that it is feasible the men did escape and make if off the island and really did escape from Alcatraz.