Astronauts return to Earth after first ever medical evacuation from space station

• Four astronauts who left the International Space Station a month early have returned to Earth, splashing down off the coast of California
• Crew-11 disembarked the Dragon Endeavour at about 01:30 local time (09:30 GMT) after a nearly 11 hour journey back to Earth
• The astronauts, Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and cosmonaut Oleg Platonov are in “good spirits” and will now receive medical checks, Nasa says
• Dr Helen Sharman, the first Briton in space, tells the BBC it will be a relief and a “luxury” for them to sleep in their own beds, adding they will “enjoy simple things”
• It’s the first time astronauts have been evacuated due to a health issue since the ISS was put into Earth’s orbit in 1998

Astronauts in ‘good spirits’ after splashdown following ISS medical issuepublished at 04:0604:06

The crew of Dragon Endeavour has returned to Earth safely after one of the astronauts developed a medical issue on the International Space Station.

In a splash down earlier today, Crew-11 landed in the Pacific Ocean off the Californian coast.

Americans Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and cosmonaut Oleg Platonov were in space for 167 days before their mission was cut short. 

The astronauts appeared jubilant before being taken for medical evaluation. 

In a news conference, Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman said the crew were safe and “in good spirits”, adding that Nasa would share updates on the affected crew member’s health “as soon as it is appropriate to do so.”

Nasa’s Joel Montalbano acknowledged the crew would have been saddened by the mission being cut short, but hailed their professionalism, adding they understood “what happens when you fly in space”.

We are closing our live coverage now, but you can read more in our news story.