New York - The manhunt for two convicted killers on the run from a US jail narrowed Tuesday to a wooded area south of the prison, where hundreds of officers swarmed following a reported sighting of the pair.
Richard Matt, 49, and David Sweat, 35 -- whom officials have called violent and vicious -- used power tools to cut through walls at the Clinton Correctional Facility in the small New York town of Dannemora on Saturday.
Law enforcement alerted authorities in Canada and Mexico to be on watch in case the pair fled the country, but on Tuesday, the search focused on leads generated on the border between Clinton and Essex counties, south of the jail.
US media said there was a possible sighting of the two men on foot in the area of Willsboro, around 40 miles (60 kilometers) from Dannemora.
More than 440 corrections and law enforcement officers were in the region, where personnel were going door to door, state police said in a statement.
Police said leads "continue to be generated" and urged vigilance.
"If members of the public see anything unusual upon arriving at their residence or seasonal homes, they are asked to contact law enforcement immediately," police said.
"The public should make no hesitation to report any suspicious activity: that includes any sign of trespass, burglary or vehicle larceny."
There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the pair's arrest.
AFP
