Watch as astronauts return to Earth after medical evacuation from space station

BBC News, Jan.15: Four astronauts who left the International Space Station a month early have splashed down off the coast of California - watch live above.

Crew 11's journey was cut short because of medical issue involving one crew member, Nasa says.

The agency did not provide details about the crew member or the nature of the medical issue, but said they were in stable condition.

The astronauts, Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan's Kimiya Yui and cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, arrived on the ISS on 1 August expecting to complete a standard six and a half month stay.

But last week, a scheduled spacewalk by Fincke and Cardman was called off at the last minute. Hours later, Nasa revealed a crew member had become ill.

Orbiting Earth at an altitude of 250 miles, the ISS makes 16 orbits of our planet a day, travelling at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour.