Former One Direction star Liam Payne has died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, with Argentine police stating that the fall resulted in “extremely serious injuries.”
Authorities in the capital confirmed the 31-year-old fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood. According to Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, Payne fell into a courtyard, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.
Crescenti stated: “At 17.04 through the 911 integrated public safety system, we were alerted of a person who was in an internal courtyard of the management of a south house hotel.”
“At 17.11 a SAME team arrived and verified the death of this man and later we found out that he was a singer in a musical group. Unfortunately, he had injuries that were incompatible with life, as a result of his fall, so we had to confirm his death, there was no possibility of resuscitation.”
Payne had been in Buenos Aires to attend a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan and had been documenting his travels across South America. Payne was on a holiday in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy when he tragically fell from a hotel window, reports the Mirror.
He rose to fame alongside One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik after auditioning for the X Factor in 2008. Payne leaves behind a seven-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he shares with his ex-partner, musician Cheryl, formerly known as Cheryl Cole of Girls Aloud.
He is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola. Representatives for Payne have not yet responded to emails and calls, according to the Associated Press.