Uncontrolled European satellite falls to Earth after 30 years in orbit

ERS-2 breaks up into pieces and plummets into the ocean after reentering Earth's atmosphere

An uncontrolled satellite re-entered the Earth's atmosphere somewhere between Alaska and Hawaii on Wednesday, astronomers confirmed.

The pioneering European satellite, known as ERS-2, entered the atmosphere at 17.16pm on Wednesday after almost 30 years in orbit, the European Space Agency said. It is thought to have broken into pieces, with the majority burning up and the remains plummeting into the ocean below.