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Part of the International Space Station was dramatically evacuated today after a leak of toxic ammonia.

Crew members in the US section were forced to take refuge in the Russian part of the ISS, where they were now safe, officials said.

Roscosmos, the Russian Space Agency, said an 'escape of hazardous substances from an air conditioning unit' was discharged into the station's atmosphere at around 8.45am GMT (3:45am EST) today.

Part of the International Space Station was dramatically evacuated today after a leak of 'harmful' ammonia in the US section, forcing astronauts to flee

It said: 'The American segment on the ISS is currently isolated. The crew is safe and located in the Russian segment.'

An official added: 'The crew's safety was provided for thanks to the co-ordinated and quick actions of the cosmonauts and astronauts themselves, as well as operative control groups in Moscow and Houston.'

Maxim Matyushin, head of Russia's Centre for Flights Management, said: 'Now it is up to the US side to decide on further action to be taken inside the US segment. 

'Mission Control in Houston is analysing the condition of the US segment of the ISS.'

The cause of the toxic leak was not specified.

The emergency comes after recent hints from Russian officials that they could abandon the ISS in 2020 despite a US desire to see the station continue until 2028 at the latest.

The Russian threats come amid tension of the Ukraine crisis and Western sanctions which have led to severe economic problems for Russia.

The current crew on board the ISS has had to take refuge in the Russian part of the station after the ammonia leak this morning. Pictured from right to left are Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore of Nasa, Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of Esa and Flight Engineer Terry Virts of Nasa

The entire crew of Expedition 42 are now seeking refuge while ground controllers at Nasa and elsewhere figure out how to control the ammonia leak. Pictured from left to right in this promotional crew photo are Yelena Serova, Barry Wilmore, Alexander Samokutyaev, Anton Shkaplerov, Terry Virts and Samantha Cristoforetti

According to Russian Mission Control an unscheduled spacewalk may be required to fix the leak.

This would not be the first time an ammonia leak has been fixed by a spacewalk - back in 2013 two astronauts had to plug a leak outside the station.

For now, though, they say the crew is safe and there is no need to immediately depart the ISS.

In the event that an evacuation were needed, the crew would be required to get into the two Soyuz spacecraft currently docked to the ISS and return to Earth.

The chances of this being required, though, are extremely low.