Liam Payne, a former member of the globally renowned boy band One Direction, tragically died after falling from the third floor of his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 31-year-old singer was confirmed dead on the afternoon of October 16, with local emergency services revealing he suffered from a cranial fracture and multiple traumatic injuries following the 45-foot plunge.
Alberto Crescenti, head of Buenos Aires emergency services, stated that Payne’s injuries were so severe that there was “no possibility of resuscitation.” He added that the singer’s cause of death was due to multiple trauma leading to both internal and external haemorrhage.
Payne, who had been staying at the Casa Sur Hotel, fell into the hotel courtyard, which overlooks a swimming pool and the hotel’s on-site Michelin-star restaurant. At the time of the fall, the restaurant was closed, and no diners were present. Paramedics arrived swiftly, but the singer was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to reports, Payne had been acting erratically in the hotel before the incident. Hotel staff made two distressing 911 calls before the fall, citing concerns about the singer’s state. In one of the calls, the hotel worker described Payne as being “off his head on drugs and alcohol” and destroying items in his room. Minutes later, his body was discovered in the hotel’s courtyard.
The singer, who had travelled to Argentina for his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert, was reportedly staying on after his girlfriend Kate Cassidy had left the country two days earlier. Payne’s relationship with Cassidy and his recent personal struggles have drawn significant attention in the wake of his untimely death.
In the hours following Payne’s death, fans gathered outside the hotel, lighting candles and placing flowers in tribute to the beloved star. The hotel remained cordoned off as forensic investigators combed the scene.
The tragic death of Liam Payne, who rose to fame as a teenager on The X Factor in 2010, has sent shockwaves through the music industry. Heartfelt tributes from fellow celebrities and fans have flooded social media. Harry Styles’ mother, Anne Twist, shared her grief with a touching Instagram post, while Paris Hilton and Dermot O’Leary led a host of stars expressing their sorrow.
As fans and loved ones mourn, a post-mortem examination is scheduled, and investigations into the exact circumstances of Payne’s fall are ongoing. The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is in contact with Argentinian authorities.
