ISS Astronauts Return to Earth After First-Ever Medical Evacuation

Four International Space Station crewmembers splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, NASA footage showed, after the first ever medical evacuation in the orbital lab's history.

A video feed from NASA showed the capsule carrying American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui land off the coast of San Diego at 12:41 am (0841



GMT).

"On behalf of SpaceX and NASA, welcome home," mission control told the crew moments after landing. "It's so good to be home, with deep gratitude to the teams that got us there and back," Cardman replied. 

A health issue prompted their mission to be cut short, after spending five months in space. The US space agency has declined to disclose any details about the health issue but stressed the return was not an emergency situation.