MOSCOW, January 28, RAPSI. A man who escaped from prison in the Vologda region in a helicopter has been sentenced to 24 years behind bars, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Monday.

Alexei Shestakov escaped from a prison for especially dangerous criminals on March 22 in a helicopter hijacked by his accomplices after serving half his sentence.

Shestakov was sentenced to 24 years behind bars, including five years in a high-security prison and the remainder of the term in a specialized penal colony.

According to the investigators, Shestakov hired the helicopter to fly to a camping site on the morning of March 22 and to pick up two passengers. Once in the air, the gang threatened the pilot into flying them to the prison where Shestakov was serving his sentence. The helicopter hovered above the prison while Shestakov climbed up a rope ladder, and then took off with the convict on board.

Shestakov and his accomplices exited the helicopter in a Vologda suburb.

He was recaptured a few hours later as he was trying to leave the area in a taxi.

His accomplices were sentenced to 11 and 12 years behind bars.