At least nine prisoners have died in an attempted breakout from a jail in Brazil.

The attempted escape took place during a Christmas party. A gang of inmates seized four hostages during a gunbattle with guards. The hostages demanded to be released. One prisoner was shot dead by the prison guards.

After 24 hours of negotiations at the jail in the north-eastern town of Fortelesa, police agreed to give the prisoners cars in which to get away.

The BBC Brazil correspondent Stephen Cviic says that the unusual situation was a result of the high pressure prison officials were under to protect the hostages.

The police then pursued the prisoners. Reports say four of the prisoners died when one of the cars crashed; the others were killed in a shoot-out with the police.

Three of the hostages were also wounded.

Brazil's prisons are notoriously overcrowded and escape attempts are common. However, this one has resulted in an unusually high number of deaths, and the circumstances of the shootings have already provoked further questions.
 

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