Rikers Island escape: Inmate breaks out of New York's island prison

Reports suggested Naquan Hill had dived into water surrounding jail

Rikers Island has been blighted by claims of corruption and poor standards of living for many years (REUTERS)

​Rikers Island prison went into lockdown after an inmate broke free of the facility and hid from guards for over five hours in nearby bushes.

Naquan Hill, 24, climbed over a barbed wire fence on Wednesday night after an outdoor recreation session and tried to escape the isolated penal colony in New York’s East River.

Staff noticed Hill had disappeared during a headcount and alerted local police, who helped conduct an emergency search of the island throughout the night.

It was initially thought Hill, who is serving time for his involvement in multiple burglaries, had jumped into the water surrounding the island but officers confirmed he had not left the area.

As with the infamous Alcatraz prison, the waters around Rikers are violent and almost impossible to navigate by swimming. The island is only accessible by one city bus, which was halted during the lockdown.

Hill tried to use vegetation to conceal himself before hiding in a trailer, where he was discovered by two guards at around 2.50am. He was immediately returned to custody and is due to appear in court next month.

Rikers has not passed a security audit by the state in the past 10 years due to complaints about corruption and poor living standards. In March, Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York, announced the complex would be closed down within the next decade.

The New York department of correction said it had launched an investigation into the circumstances of the escape.