Russian space official says Soyuz with circus tycoon, 2 astronauts lands safely in Kazakhstan

Russian space official says Soyuz lands safely

MOSCOW — A Russian space official says the Soyuz capsule with circus tycoon Guy Laliberte, a Russian cosmonaut and U.S. astronauts, has landed in Kazakhstan.

Valeriy Lyndin, spokesman for Russian mission control, says the landing took place at 10:32 a.m. local time in Kazakhstan. He says the mission ended safely.

NASA television reports that helicopters have reached the landing site and the spacecraft’s hatch has been opened.

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, NASA astronaut Michael Barratt and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte landed Sunday after leaving the International Space Station several hours earlier.

A six-member crew remain aboard the orbiting laboratory.