US police hunt three escaped murderers

Police are using helicopters and dogs to search for three convicted murderers who escaped from a northwest Arizona prison over the weekend, kidnapped two truck drivers at gunpoint and used their vehicle to flee.

The men escaped on Friday evening by cutting a hole through a perimeter fence at the medium-security Arizona State Prison in Golden Valley, about 90 miles from Las Vegas.

Officials identified the three as Tracy Province, 42, Daniel Renwick, 36, and John McCluskey, 45. All had been convicted of murder.

A woman identified as Casslyn Mae Welch, 44, met the men and helped in their escape, and at about 5am on Saturday, the group kidnapped two truck drivers and forced them, at gunpoint, to drive two hours east to Flagstaff.

The group then left the drivers, unharmed, in the truck, and fled.