Mapped: The hunt for escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife – before arrest 45 minutes away

London: Former soldier Daniel Abed Khalife escaped from HMP Wandsworth. He was on the run for nearly four days.

Khalife, 23, hid under a food truck to escape. He used a sling made from kitchen trousers. His escape ended when police arrested him by the Thames in September 2023.

During his trial, Khalife admitted to the escape. He was convicted of charges related to the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act. He received a 14-year sentence at Woolwich Crown Court.

Khalife initially planned a fake escape to move to a high-security unit. He thought he would be safer there. When that plan failed, he decided to escape for real.

On September 6, prison staff reported him missing. A national search began, lasting three to four days. Over 150 officers worked around the clock, receiving many tips from the public.

Police stopped a Bidfood van on Upper Richmond Road. They found the sling Khalife used to escape. Khalife claimed he was well-hidden under the truck.

Richmond Park was searched with helicopters and sirens. On September 8, a witness saw Khalife near a Bidfood van after his escape.

Police helicopters searched the Thames area. They focused on Chiswick after confirmed sightings. Khalife was arrested just before 11 am on September 9, only 45 minutes from the prison.

Before his arrest in January 2023, Khalife served in the British Army since 2018. He worked as a computer network engineer.