Twenty-four prisoners from Napier arrived at Dunedin International Airport yesterday, bound for the Otago Corrections Facility, following a health scare that prompted an evacuation of the Hawkes Bay Prison.
The men - high-medium and low-medium security prisoners - were some of up to 100 moved after a high count of mould spore was detected in three of six units in the Napier prison's high-security building.
The cost of relocating the affected prisoners was expected to be about $50,000, including escorting staff, chartered flights and associated costs.
Corrections Department service support manager Karen Urwin said prisoners affected by the closure were being relocated to the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, at Hamilton, and the OCF, at Milburn, where beds were available at an appropriate security level.
Because so many prisoners and staff had to be moved from Napier to Dunedin, and Napier to Hamilton, it was cheaper to charter a plane, she said.
How long the units at Hawkes Bay Prison would be required to remain closed could not be confirmed yesterday.
Corrections Department central regional manager Leanne Field said the roof of the units had leaked during heavy rain and some cells had flooded.
On recent inspection, mould was found growing in the roof cavity.
Early estimates were that it would be at least eight months before the roof was fixed.
Where practical, prisoners would be transported back to the North Island when capacity became available, Ms Urwin said.
• A corrections officer at Otago's prison was attacked by a prisoner on Sunday in what is being called the most serious assault there this year.
The officer, understood to be an experienced female corrections officer, received outpatient medical treatment for facial injuries.
She is recuperating at home and is expected to return to work soon.
Police have been notified and criminal charges are expected to be laid against the offender, according to acting OCF manager Don Taylor.
He yesterday confirmed the assault in a statement issued by the Corrections Department.
He described the incident as "a random and cowardly act of violence" and there was little the officer could have done to avoid the assault.
He would not elaborate.
There have been 12 incidents this year classified as assaults against OCF staff.
Last weekend's is regarded as the most serious.
"The department treats all assaults on staff as serious - one assault is one too many.
However, assaults do occur in a prison environment from time to time.
Prisoners are some of the most volatile and dangerous members of our society and they can quickly react to situations they don't like with violence," Mr Taylor said.
The department was offering support to the officer.
