One Direction issue emotional statement after tragic death of Liam Payne

One Direction have issued a statement following the tragic death of bandmate Liam Payne, saying they are "completely devastated" and that they will "miss him terribly"

One Direction has issued a heart-wrenching statement following the tragic passing of their bandmate, Liam Payne. The remaining members of the band expressed their devastation over the loss, stating: "The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever."

In a statement signed by Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry, they said: "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly."

They added: "For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam."

Louis Tomlinson also separately expressed his grief after the tragic death of his One Direction bandmate Liam. He stated that he was "beyond devastated" in a heartfelt post on Instagram, where he wrote: "I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.", reports the Mirror.

"I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I'd longed all my life for. Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band."

"And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. 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."

He added: "A message to you Liam if you're listening, I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I'm really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I'm so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours , reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I'd have with you for life. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn't to be."

"I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was. I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X".

Zayn has spoken out on the heartbreaking loss of Liam. In a deeply emotional Instagram post, Zayn shared: "Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can't help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life."

"When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved. Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f***s about telling people when they were wrong."

"Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it. When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison, l was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional."

"I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next. I lost a brother when you left us and can't explain to you what l'd give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated."

"I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace A and you know how loved you are. Love you bro."

Harry was the next to express his grief. On Thursday, he shared his feelings on Instagram, saying: "I am truly devastated by Liam's passing," and "His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it."

He continued: "Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend. My heart goes out to Karen, Geoff, Nicola, and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did."

Liam encountered tragedy after checking into a hotel in Buenos Aires on Sunday. By Wednesday, after a fall from the third floor, he had tragically passed away at the age of 31.

His body was discovered by a manager after a loud noise alerted them to an internal patio at the Hotel Casa Sur. Alberto Crescenti, a spokesperson for the city ambulance provider, confirmed the pop star had endured a 40-metre fall and suffered "severe injuries which were incompatible with life."

Authorities are now looking into the circumstances preceding his fall, to determine whether his sudden death was an unfortunate accident or something else.

Local newspapers in Buenos Aires, La Nacion and Clarin, have reported that police were summoned to a hotel in the Palermo district following an emergency call about "an aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol."

The scene outside the hotel was one of urgency, with police, firefighters, and ambulances present after the tragic fall of Liam. A local ambulance service manager told TN: "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."

Liam, father to Bear Grey Payne with ex Cheryl, born on March 22, 2017, has been dating influencer Kate Cassidy since October 2022.

He has recently been sharing his travels in Argentina on social media and attended a concert by Niall, his former bandmate. Liam was just 16 when he shot to fame as part of the world's biggest boyband.

Liam, formerly of the world-renowned boyband which included Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, rose to international stardom following their X Factor debut in 2010. The group skyrocketed to global acclaim before parting ways in 2016.

Liam recently took to Instagram to post a throwback photo with his bandmates and filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, who directed One Direction's 2013 documentary 'This Is Us. ' Next to the image, he penned a tribute, saying: "Rest in peace Morgan Spurlock it was a pleasure working with you."