Some 10 prisoners out of 41, who broke a jail and escaped in Hpa-an township, Myanmar's Kayin state, have been arrested by the security forces, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Monday.

The 41 inmates escaped from the prison after smashing through four gates by a garbage truck they hijacked on Sunday morning.

When the truck was about to leave the prison after collecting garbage piled by inmates, a prisoner pulled down the driver and hit him and then drove the car out of the prison together with other inmates.

Hunting the escapees, who drove the truck along the Hpa-an-Hlaingbwe road, the security force and the police blocked all possible escape routes and conducted the search on the roads, warning locals to contact the authorities if any strangers appear in the villages.

The 41 inmates including 29 convicts and 12 prisoners are under trial. The prisoner, who attacked the driver, is serving life prison term without parole for drug trafficking, illegal possession of arms and attempted murder of two persons.

Investigation is underway over the case by the regional authorities.