Tributes continue to pour in for the British pop star Liam Payne, who tragically died Wednesday evening at a hotel in Buenos Aires.
Payne, 31, lost his life after plunging from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of the capital.
The former One Direction star died from multiple injuries sustained in 10-metre fall, including “internal and external” bleeding.
In a statement, his fellow bandmates said they were “completely devastated” by the news of their friend’s passing.
Family members said they were "heartbroken" as tributes poured in from the world of music, fans and even the office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Preliminary autopsy results indicate that the singer had not tried to stop his fall on Wednesday, and "may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness" before his death, according to the prosecutor's office.
Possible foul play has been ruled out and they are investigating the tragedy as a potential suicide.
In all, he suffered 25 wounds or injuries, none of them of a defensive nature and all compatible with the fall of more than 10 metres.
The injuries to his skull were the ones that caused his death, experts concluded.
Toxicology tests have been ordered and the authorities are awaiting results.
'Completely devastated'
"We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say," One Direction bandmates Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik said in a statement carried on social media.
"But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly," they said.
"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever ... We love you Liam."
In a separate tribute on Instagram, Styles said Payne's "greatest joy was making other people happy."
"The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend," he wrote.
Tomlinson described Payne as "the kind brother I'd longed all my life for."
"And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction," he said on Instagram.
"His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam."
Payne's family issued a statement saying they would remember him for "his kind, funny and brave soul" and asking for privacy.
The British Embassy in Argentina confirmed in a statement to the Times that it is “supporting the family of Liam Payne who has died in Argentina and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Found dead
Payne was found dead after hotel staff called City emergency services twice to report "a guest who is overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol, and destroying his room," according to a leaked audio message.
"I don't know if the guest's life is in danger. But he has a room with a balcony and we're a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening," an employee said.
Witnesses at the hotel, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported that the singer had shown “aggressive” behaviour in recent days, and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Payne, the father of a seven-year-old boy shared with Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy, had spoken publicly about struggles with alcohol and coping with fame from an early age.
He had been staying in a room on the Casa Sur Hotel's third floor, with a balcony overlooking a rear patio.
Post-mortem results indicated that Payne "was alone at the time of the fall and that he was going through an episode of substance abuse," prosecutors said.
The singer suffered "multiple traumas" and "internal and external haemorrhaging," they said.
His body was removed from the hotel around 8.30 pm local time by a firetruck, as fans cried and applauded solemnly.
Head of the City emergency services, Alberto Crescenti, told local media that "there was no possibility" for emergency personnel to save Payne's life.
"He had very serious injuries that caused his death, such as a fracture at the base of the skull," said the doctor.
Disturbance
Soon after news of Payne’s death broke, local media began reporting details related to the tragedy.
Multiple local outlets published photos Wednesday of what it said was the interior of Payne's room, with an as-yet unidentified white powder on a table next to a piece of aluminium foil and a lighter, and a television with a broken screen.
In addition, police found a phone, a notebook, a blister pack of clonazepam – an over-the-counter drug used to treat mental health issues – and energy pills in the room.
The prosecutor's office said substances that appeared to be "narcotics and alcoholic beverages" had been found in the room with pieces of furniture and other objects broken.
The results of medical and toxicological tests on Payne's body have not been made public at the time of reporting.
One Direction began life in 2010 when the then teenagers appeared on the British television contest The X Factor, going on to become one of the highest-grossing live acts in the world.
In 2016, after Malik left, the group said it was on an indefinite hiatus but not splitting up.
Payne's first solo single ‘Strip That Down’ peaked at number three on the UK charts and number 10 on the US Billboard top songs list. But in recent years, he had spoken openly about struggles with alcoholism and fame.
In a 2023 video posted to his YouTube account, he said he had spent time in rehab and discussed his efforts to stop drinking: "I kind of became somebody who I didn't really recognize anymore."
Last year, he said he was working on a second solo album and released a single this March.
The musician, who has visited Argentina on many occasions, arrived in the country on September 30.
Payne attended a show by Horan at the Movistar Arena on October 2 – the same venue the late star was originally booked to play earlier this year.
He had to cancel the date due to health issues.
Payne had initially been accompanied on his trip to Argentina by his girlfriend, US influencer Kate Cassidy, who had left the country just a few days before her partner’s passing.
'Adolescence lost'
Distraught fans – most in their 20s and 30s – gathered near the scene in Buenos Aires soon after news of Payne's death was announced, many crying.
"I feel like it's a part of adolescence lost," said Lena Duek, 21.
She said she had been hoping for the band, whose music was the soundtrack of her teen years, to reunite.
"I'm in shock, I can't believe it. I live five blocks away and thought I had to be here," said another fan Martina Di Lalla, 23.
One social media user, posting on TikTok, said she had spoken with Payne just hours before his death. She said the star was clearly intoxicated when they crossed paths.
Videos also emerged online of Payne greeting stars outside his hotel earlier this week.
In Codsall in England, where Payne's parents live, residents voiced a mixture of shock and sadness Thursday.
"I think everybody's talking about it because everybody knows Liam. Knows of Liam... because he was one of us. Very sad. Very sad," said 67-year-old Maria Davies.
– TIMES/AFP/NA/PERFIL
