Four astronauts returned to Earth early Thursday, after departing the International Space Station about a month earlier than planned due to a medical issue.

Crew-11 splashed down off the coast of California early Thursday.

The four astronauts of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission undocked from the International Space Station at 5:20 p.m. EST on Wednesday.

NASA leaders said the Crew-11 mission's astronaut medical evacuation shows how the agency is prepared to handle the unexpected.

A Crew-11 member, who NASA has yet to identify, had an undisclosed medical concern that triggered the agency to accelerate their return to Earth.

Four astronauts, including two from NASA, are set to leave the International Space Station on Wednesday, weeks earlier than planned, due to a medical issue.

A team of four astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday after an unprecedented medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An ailing astronaut returned to Earth with three others on Thursday, ending their space station mission more than a month early in NASA’s first medical evacuation.

The crew returned to Earth earlier than expected.

After a health issue, four astronauts are set to leave the International Space Station early, with a pre-dawn Pacific splashdown planned for Thursday, Jan. 15.