Mission Accomplished: Schwarzau Prison Escapees Captured in Midnight Farmhouse Raid
The massive 48-hour manhunt that paralyzed parts of Lower Austria ended at 03:00 AM Sunday. Elite Cobra tactical units, supported by thermal-equipped drones and K9 teams, breached an abandoned farmhouse in the Asparn an der Zaya forest corridor, successfully apprehending the two inmates who escaped from Schwarzau Prison on New Year’s Day.
The Breach at 03:00 AM
The operation reached its climax after police established a 1.5-kilometer “Kill Zone” around the farmhouse late Saturday night. Following hours of failed negotiations, and with temperatures dropping to -17°C, tactical commanders ordered a breach.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing several “flash-bang” detonations and low-flying helicopters. The Interior Ministry has confirmed that both fugitives were taken alive, though one suffered minor injuries during the struggle. Two Cobra officers also sustained minor abrasions but are in stable condition.
Residents Breathe a Sigh of Relief
For the residents of Mistelbach and Hollabrunn, the arrest marks the end of a terrifying period of lockdowns and accidental siren alarms. The A5 motorway, which served as the primary security blockade, is now being cleared of police checkpoints and is expected to be fully accessible for the Monday morning commute.
“We can finally sleep,” said one Asparn resident. “The helicopters were constant, and the fear was real. We thank the police for their bravery in this polar cold.”
Security Inquiry to Follow
In the wake of the successful apprehension in Mistelbach, the focus of the federal government has shifted from the pursuit to the post-mortem. Chancellor Christian Stocker has reportedly mandated a “top-to-bottom” security inquiry into the operational failures at Justizanstalt Schwarzau. The investigation, to be led by the Ministry of Justice, will specifically scrutinize why the facility’s state-of-the-art digitized surveillance system recently integrated into the national security grid—remained silent during the initial breach on January 1.
