New York prison break: Intense search continues in rural area of possible sightings

fter 16 days on the run, two convicted killers who escaped from a New York prison could be anywhere. But authorities continued Sunday to comb through a rural "hot spot" in southwestern New York state.

The latest possible sighting of fugitives, came in Allegany County, just north of the Pennsylvania border. That's where a witness reported seeing two men along a railroad line Saturday in the town of Friendship, New York State Police said. 

While state police called the report an "unconfirmed sighting," a law enforcement source briefed on the prisoner investigation told CNN there was a credible sighting of Matt and Sweat near Friendship.

About 300 law enforcement officers have searched the area, Maj. Michael Cerretto of the New York State Police said Sunday at a press conference. Canine units and aircraft were used in the search, he said.

"We will continue to search this are until all leads are exhausted," he said.

The Allegany County Sheriff's Office said a tipster led investigators to a set of tracks in the area. Authorities were following the tracks to try to determine whether they're from the two escapees.

If Matt and Sweat were indeed in Friendship, that means they somehow traveled more than 300 miles southwest of Dannemora, New York, where they had escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility.

A rifle in his lap

The sudden swarm of attention on Friendship has bewildered the rural town of 2,000 people.

Gary Baker, 80, said he's terrified of the possibility that the killers are in the area. Normally, Baker is a caretaker at the town's Maple Grove Cemetery, right next to his home. But authorities blocked off the cemetery as search helicopters hovered overhead. Now, Baker sits alone in his home, with all his doors locked and a rifle in his lap."I think they're really serious that they've seen somebody," Baker said. "I just hope they catch them."

Emergency services radio traffic monitored by CNN indicated large numbers of police had moved into the area. At one point, responding officers were asked to maintain radio silence.

Other possible sightings

Allegany County isn't the only area investigators have received tips from.

Last weekend, witnesses reported seeing two suspicious men in Steuben County, about 45 miles east of Friendship, state police said. "Witnesses spotted two men on June 13 walking near the Gang Mills railyard on Rita's Way in the town of Erwin," police said "The next day, two men with the same description were spotted walking along County Route 115 in the town of Lindley, heading toward the Pennsylvania border."

The unconfirmed sightings came from two separate people, police spokesman Beau Duffy said. State police have sent investigators to the areas to conduct interviews. On Saturday, police urged anyone living in the Allegany County area along the New York-Pennsylvania border to be on alert for Matt and Sweat, who many say have nothing to lose. "Do not approach," officials warned. "Both are considered to be very dangerous."