Swedish inmates in a high-security prison took 2 guards hostage and demanded pizza as ransom

• Two inmates took two guards hostage and asked for a helicopter, reported Aftonbladet.
• They are serving prison sentences for murder at a high-security facility about 70 miles west of Stockholm.
• The guards were released after the inmates received their meal.

Two Swedish inmates in a high-security prison took two guards hostage for nine hours on Wednesday and eventually released their captives after a request for pizza was answered, reported Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet.

The two prisoners - 24-year-old Haned Mahamed Abdullahi and 30-year-old Isak Dewit - are serving sentences for murder at Hallby, a high-security prison near Eskilstuna, 70 miles west of Stockholm.

The hostage drama unfolded at about 12:30 p.m. local time when the two inmates managed to break into the guard room, reported Euronews. They were carrying razor blades and locked themselves in with the two guards.

The prison was locked down, and special unit forces were alerted and deployed. An ambulance, firetruck, and a police helicopter could be seen outside the penitentiary.

A mediator was sent in. According to Aftonbladet, the pair initially demanded a helicopter but later negotiated down to 20 kebab shop pizzas for themselves and other inmates.

The pizzas were delivered to the inmates at 4:30 p.m. By 9:30 p.m., they had released both guards, bringing a close to the nine-hour-long hostage drama.

"Yes, the pizzas were delivered," Prison Spokesman Stina Lyles told AFP. She also added that the guards were not hurt "and were able to return safely to their family."

The two inmates were later taken to the police station for questioning, another prison official, Torkel Omnell, told AFP.