JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - At least five prisoners were killed and several more injured when a bomb blew up a prison transport van in Johannesburg on Monday, South African police and rescue services said.
"There was an explosion on the vehicle," police brigadier Neville Malila told Talk Radio 702. "The explosive device that was used is still unknown."
He said two prisoners had been killed and 15 injured, but an emergency services worker later told Reuters that four prisoners had died at the scene and one had died en route to hospital.
Malila said the van had been taking 36 prisoners in all to a jail in southern Johannesburg.
It was not immediately clear if the explosion was part of an escape attempt. Malila said two of the prisoners had fled after the blast but were later caught.
Police did not respond to calls seeking further comment.
(Reporting by Peroshni Govender and David Dolan; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
