Ananova:

Russian space station Mir has crashed into the southern Pacific Ocean, ending its 15 years in orbit above the Earth.

Up to 40 tonnes of debris from the space station safely plunged into the sea hundreds of miles south-east of Fiji at 5.58am UK time.

The space station made a spectacular display in the sky as it burned up in the atmosphere, with a golden light show above Fiji.

Nobody was thought to have been injured at sea as Mir made its final descent.

Most of the 150-tonne spacecraft had already burned up as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere, while the remainder broke up into as many as 1,500 chunks, some as big as a small car.

Two planes carrying people who had paid a total of £1.4 million to see the re-entry were thought to be the closest to the splash-down site, although as many as 30 fishing boats were also in the area.

Mir's watery grave ended a journey of more than 2 billion miles, which had seen it play host to 104 cosmonauts from around the world, and set the record for the longest space stay, at 438 days.

It had been seen by eyewitnesses on Fiji 15 minutes before the end in a display which CNN reporter Hugh Williams said was "unbelievable".

"The Mir came streaking across the horizon in five, six, seven, maybe nine pieces making a huge golden trail," he said.

"The people here were just in awe. A collection of very bright golden-coloured lights were tearing across the sky. "