ALMOST 20 people being held at Sydney's Villawood detention centre attempted a mass break-out yesterday, the latest in a string of serious security incidents that have dogged the troubled facility.
At least 17 foreign citizens attempted to breach the facility in Sydney's western suburbs, in what appears to have been an organised escape attempt.
The Immigration Department confirmed the incident had taken place, saying two people had been sent to hospital as a result.
"The department can confirm that 16 Chinese nationals and one Malaysian national attempted to escape from Villawood immigration centre early this morning," the spokesman said.
"The group was unsuccessful, and none of the detainees were able to breach the compound."
The spokesman said the NSW Police had attended the facility following the breakout attempt and that an investigation involving the Immigration Department and the operators of Villawood, private security firm Serco, had begun.
It would examine the adequacy of security arrangements at the time of the incident.
Refugee supporters said the 17 detainees were being housed in the stage-two compound of Villawood, a low security area. The men had overstayed their visas and were not asylum-seekers.
Refugee supporters said they had attempted to jump over a fence near the detention facility's medical centre. It was not known whether the men were Christians or Falun Gong.
The department's spokesman said two of the men were hospitalised after the break-out attempt. It is understood they were injured in the process of jumping the fence.
The incident is the latest in a string of major security breaches that have occurred inside the centre, which has a high number of failed asylum-seekers.
In April, asylum-seekers torched the facility and took to the roofs in protest at the delays in finalising their refugee claims.
