MOSCOW, Oct 21: Malaysia’s first astronaut landed safely in Kazakhstan on Sunday with two Russian cosmonauts after spending 11 days in space, a Reuters witness at Moscow’s mission control reported.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, an orthopaedic surgeon and university lecturer from Kuala Lumpur, returned to earth in a Russian-made Soyuz capsule with International Space Station commander, Fyodor Yurchikhin, and flight engineer, Oleg Kotov.

All of the astronauts are in good health despite a technical hitch that changed the trajectory of the capsule, pushing it off course, space officials said.

When the capsule landed, Shukor’s relatives at Mission Control outside Moscow clapped with joy after having said prayers for his safe return.—Reuters