MOSCOW: Russian authorities announced a manhunt on Saturday after six convicts tunnelled their way out a correctional facility.

Four of the six fugitives have now been detained, while local law enforcement are in hot pursuit of the remaining two. `I realise that the news may cause concern, but I ask you not to panic,` said Igor Artamonov, governor of the western Lipetsk region.

`Security forces are continuing efforts to track down and detain the criminals,` he added. Prison guards were alerted to their disappearance after carrying out a routineinspection.

`In general regime penal colony No. 2, an underground tunnel was discovered during a patrol of the premises,` the prison service of the Lipetsk region said.

`Immediately a count of convicts got underway, which revealed the absence of six inmates,` it added.

It did not reveal their identities, but said in a statement the suspects were `from CentralAsia`.

Four of the escapees were detained, two of whom were caught in the neighbouring Tambov region, the local governor said.-AFP