Liam Payne dead at 31: One Direction star 'dies in Buenos Aires'

Liam Payne, the former member of One Direction, has passed away in Buenos Aires after falling from a hotel.

The pop star is said to have come to the Latin American country earlier this month to see his former bandmate Niall Horan perform.

Multiple witnesses reported that Mr. Payne fell from his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel just after 5 PM (ART) on Wednesday evening.

Supporters have congregated outside the hotel, where emergency personnel are on site, and a red canopy has been set up.

The local police have started an investigation into the unexpected death of the 31-year-old, while messages of condolences continue to pour in following the tragedy.

Liam Payne, a former member of One Direction, has passed away in Buenos Aires at the age of 31.

Last August, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy shared a photo of them together on her Instagram.

Multiple witnesses informed the publication that Mr. Payne had plunged from his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel just after 5 PM (ART) on Wednesday evening.

The 31-year-old rose to prominence in 2010 on X Factor alongside his former bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson, even though they had originally tried out individually.

An emotional video captures Liam Payne performing and dancing at an event involving his ex-bandmate Niall Horan. Later, he shared a photo with Niall on Snapchat with the caption: 'Reunited.'

According to a statement from the local police, they came to the hotel after receiving reports about a violent individual who appeared to be affected by drugs and alcohol.

A representative from the city’s ambulance service, Alberto Crescenti, stated that Mr. Payne had fallen approximately 40 meters and sustained severe injuries that were not survivable.

He reported that the alert came in at 5:04 PM local time about an individual lying in an indoor courtyard at Casa Sur.

At 5:11 PM, an ambulance showed up, and the man was pronounced deceased.

Later, we discovered that he was a well-known singer. Sadly, the injuries he sustained from the fall turned out to be deadly. There was no chance of bringing him back.

The last Snapchat update from the star featured him joyfully taking a selfie with his partner, Kate Cassidy, as they gazed into a mirror. This photo was initially captured last August.

Additional updates from the last days of the celebrity’s life depicted him having lunch in his hotel room. During this time, he shared that he and his companion had been getting up at 1 PM each day and were contemplating Forest Gump as their Halloween costume choice.

Another heartbreaking selfie was accompanied by the words: "Beautiful day in Argentina." Shortly after, the celebrity posted a picture of his hotel, stating: "Glad I had a chance to escape for a bit," and added a heart emoji.

He posted another picture with Kate, captioning it: "Special moments together."

Emergency personnel arrive at the hotel in Buenos Aires where Liam Payne, a former member of One Direction, was discovered deceased.

Officers are stationed outside the CasaSur Palmero Hotel, the location where Liam Payne was discovered.

A large number of fans have gathered in Buenos Aires following the news of Liam Payne's passing.

Shown here: A forensic technician taking a phone call outside the hotel following the unexpected passing of the popstar.

Visitors are lighting candles outside the hotel where Liam Payne was discovered deceased.

Supporters of singer Liam Payne gather in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to light candles in his honor.

Emotional supporters were seen gathered outside the Casa Sur Palmero hotel this evening.

A fan was found sitting on the sidewalk in tears upon hearing the news of Liam Payne's passing.

Liam's fans gather closely together outside the hotel in Buenos Aires, sharing in the moment.

Supporters are still placing candles outside the hotel in Argentina.

Even though they received a lot of love from fans, the band ended up taking third place on the X Factor. However, not long after that, Cowell offered them a contract with Syco worth an estimated £2 million.

Their first album, Up All Night, was a huge success, making it the fastest-selling debut album in the UK for the year 2011.

Liam started his journey toward fame when he first tried out for the X Factor in 2008.

At just 14 years old, Liam wowed the judges with his rendition of "Fly Me To The Moon," originally by Frank Sinatra, but unfortunately, he was eliminated from the competition afterwards.

Despite setbacks, Payne decided to pursue his singing career once more and tried out for the competition again in 2010. It didn't take long for him to rise to prominence as a member of One Direction.

Simon Cowell and former judge Nicole Scherzinger recognized their potential as a group and brought him together with his old bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.

After only a few weeks of bonding and continuous practice, the group wowed Simon during their audition at Judge's Houses and advanced easily to the live performances.

The pop mastermind later confessed to Rolling Stone that he recognized the group's global potential in just a fraction of a second.

The fans reacted quickly, and soon the excitement around One Direction overshadowed the entire show. Despite all the love from their supporters, the band ended up in third place on the X Factor. However, shortly after that, Simon Cowell made a decisive move by signing the group to a contract with Syco valued at around £2 million.

Eager to take advantage of the boys' loyal fan following, Cowell acted swiftly, starting the recording of the band's first album in January 2011.

Another heartbreaking selfie had the caption: "Beautiful day in Argentina."

Payne was spotted thinking about dressing up as Forrest Gump for Halloween, but he would unfortunately pass away just 15 days before the celebration.

The star sadly mentioned he was 'glad to have a bit of time off' just under an hour before he tragically died.

By September of that year, One Direction launched their debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful," which quickly climbed to the top of the UK Singles Chart. It also set a record for being the most pre-ordered single ever by Sony Music Entertainment.

Their first album, Up All Night, was a huge success, quickly becoming the fastest-selling debut album in the UK for 2011. This popular record set the stage for their first tour, which began in the UK that December.

Following Malik's announcement that he was leaving the band in 2015, the other members went on to pursue their own paths.

While they were together as a band, One Direction secured five Brit Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, achieved more than three billion views on YouTube, and sold 50 million records across the globe.

Following the launch of five albums with one of the most renowned boy bands in history, Liam dropped his debut solo album, LP1, in 2019.

His song "Strip That Down," which he co-wrote with Ed Sheeran, soared to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year.

Throughout his music journey, the pop artist has worked with various artists, including J Balvin, French Montana, Dixie D'Amelio, and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.

He was once in a relationship with British pop star Cheryl Cole, and together they had a son named Bear Grey, who was born on March 22, 2017. The couple eventually parted ways in 2018.

He used to date British pop star Cheryl Cole, and the couple had their son, Bear Grey, on March 22, 2017.

Liam is shown here with his baby son Bear.

When Malik revealed he was leaving the band in 2015, the group chose to part ways.

Following the launch of five albums with one of the most iconic boybands in history, Liam debuted his first solo album, titled LP1, in 2019.

Throughout his music journey, the pop star has worked with artists such as J Balvin, French Montana, Dixie D'Amelio, and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.

After his relationship with Ms. Cole, Liam had a series of ups and downs with his former fiancée, Maya Henry. They ultimately decided to end their relationship in May 2022.

He is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, his seven-year-old son Bear, and his two elder sisters, Ruth and Nicola.

MailOnline has reached out to Liam Payne's team for a statement.

Many people have been sharing their condolences online, including former XFactor contestant Jedward, who wrote: "Rest in peace, Liam Payne. My thoughts are with his friends and family."

They expressed their support, saying, "Wishing strength to Cheryl, her son Bear, and the entire One Direction community."

Former X Factor contestant and television personality Rylan Clark expressed his condolences, saying, "I'm deeply saddened by the news. It's a terrible loss, especially at such a young age. Rest in peace, Liam."

Paris Hilton expressed her sadness upon hearing about Liam Payne's passing. She extended her love and condolences to his family and loved ones, saying farewell to her friend.

A flood of heartfelt messages has surfaced on the internet, as other celebrities express their sympathies.

Stephen Bartlett wrote, "I can hardly comprehend what I'm reading about Liam Payne. It's truly devastating."

Singer Max George has expressed his deep sadness upon hearing about Liam Payne's passing.

The Wanted 2.0 star posted on X: "Liam was incredibly helpful to me during one of the toughest periods I've ever faced."

I'll always remember that.

I am thinking of his family, friends, and fans during this incredibly difficult time.

"May Liam find eternal peace."

MTV shared a heartfelt message, stating, "We are extremely sorry to hear about Liam Payne's tragic death today. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans during this challenging time."

The Brit Awards expressed their sorrow, stating, "We are deeply saddened to hear about the untimely death of Liam Payne. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his friends and family during this difficult time."

Spotify expressed their sorrow by stating, "We are truly heartbroken to hear about Liam Payne's passing. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and all the fans who cherished and backed him."