4 Kidnapers in Brazil Escape in Plane After 3-Day Standoff

Four heavily armed fugitives in south-central Brazil on Sunday released their three hostages, including two television reporters, and made a getaway in a plane provided by authorities, police said.

According to authorities, the four traded their captives for an aircraft and pilot to end a three-day standoff with police on a highway near the town of Presidente Prudente, 635 miles southwest of Rio de Janeiro. They were armed with hand grenades, submachine guns, pistols and shotguns.

Police said the hostages were unharmed.

“I lived for four days with a pistol at my head, but not for one minute did I believe I would die,” said Monica Calassa, one of the hostages. “A person who trades her life for that of another can’t die like that.”

It was not clear where the plane was headed. The fugitives--two married couples--earlier said they wanted to be flown to Paraguay.

Brazilian media identified the fugitives’ leader as Rui Ribeiro de Campos and said he owns a farm in Paraguay.

On Wednesday, three local journalists offered to take the place of a 9-year-old boy the fugitives had kidnaped Aug. 3. The fugitives were also paid a $25,000 ransom and given an armored car and a driver. The kidnapers later released one of the reporters.

However, Goias state authorities on Wednesday failed to provide a plane for their escape, and the kidnapers began leading police on a 500-mile chase through three states.