MOSCOW, March 23 - RAPSI. A prisoner, who managed to escape from prison aboard a captured helicopter, in Vologda region might face a life imprisonment, according to Russian renowned lawyers polled by the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI /rapsinews.ru).

The lawyers also believe that punitive sanctions will be imposed on the prison management and staff. Some of those surveyed suspect the prison staff of colliding with the escapee.

Alexei Shestakov was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2000 for a number of grave crimes including murder and armed assaults.

Shestakov's brother and a woman captured a helicopter on Thursday morning and forced the pilot to fly to the prison at a gunpoint. When the helicopter approached the prison, it climbed down and dropped a rope ladder to allow Shestakov onboard. The criminals then got off the helicopter in a village in Vologda Region.

Police detained Shestakov soon after the escape, and continues to search for his accomplices.

Lawyer Igor Trunov said that the escape is qualified as a separate crime and Shestakov is likely to face a new prison sentence. The escape is punishable by up to eight years in prison. However, in this particular case the criminal may be sentenced to life in prison as he resisted the police during the escape.

Lawyer Nikolai Mdinaradze and Nina Yeremenko also said Shestakov will be given a new sentence for the outrageous escape.