In a daring and bizarre escape, a prisoner in France managed to break out of the Corbas prison near Lyon by hiding inside a laundry bag belonging to his cellmate—who was being released that day. The incident, which occurred over the weekend, has shocked officials and triggered investigations into how such a major security lapse could happen.

According to French prison authorities, the escapee, a 20-year-old man serving multiple sentences, took advantage of the routine laundry process during his cellmate’s discharge. He hid in the outgoing laundry and slipped out undetected.

Officials only realized he was missing the following morning, prompting a manhunt. On Monday, two days after the escape, police found him hiding in a basement in Sathonay-Camp, a town on the outskirts of Lyon. He was arrested without incident, though his accomplice—the cellmate who was released—has not yet been found.

The Lyon prosecutor’s office confirmed the escapee is now in custody and facing new charges including escape as part of an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.

France’s prison administration has called the escape “an extremely rare event” and acknowledged serious failures within the system. The Corbas facility is notably overcrowded, operating at around 170% of its capacity, which authorities say has made routine operations and oversight increasingly difficult.

The case has reignited concerns about prison security and overcrowding in France, with many calling for urgent reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.

As investigations continue, both the prison service and local prosecutors are under pressure to explain how such a basic breach in protocol allowed an inmate to walk free—literally in a bag of laundry.