THE body of former One Direction star Liam Payne, who tragically fell to his death from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, was flown back to Britain on Wednesday, a police source told AFP.
A flight carrying Payne’s remains departed from Buenos Aires at 1:58 pm local time (4:58 pm GMT) bound for London. His father, Geoff Payne, was seen at Ezeiza International Airport just moments before boarding, as captured in a video circulating on social media. Argentine media reported that Payne’s body had been transferred that morning from the British Cemetery in Buenos Aires, where it had been embalmed.
An employee from the funeral home responsible for the arrangements confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that Payne’s body would be repatriated within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Payne, 31, was found dead on October 16 after falling from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, sparking an international wave of grief. Fans, family, former bandmates, and celebrities from around the world expressed their sorrow. One Direction released a statement saying they were “completely devastated,” and each band member paid tribute to Liam, with Zayn Malik even postponing his U.S. tour in light of the tragedy.
Liam Payne’s untimely death has also reignited discussions on the music industry’s responsibility to safeguard the mental health of young stars. Payne had previously spoken openly about his struggles with substance abuse and the difficulties of fame from a young age. According to hotel staff, emergency services had been called twice to report a guest described as “overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol” and “damaging” his hotel room.
On Tuesday, Geoff Payne visited the informal memorial outside the CasaSur Hotel, where fans have left letters, photos, and flowers in memory of his son.
One Direction, one of the world’s highest-grossing live acts, went on hiatus in 2016. Payne had achieved some solo success, though his career had stalled in recent years.