The father of former One Direction star Liam Payne has begun the process of bringing his son’s remains back to the United Kingdom, following the singer’s tragic fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last month. A flight carrying Payne’s body left Buenos Aires for London on Wednesday afternoon, confirmed by Argentine police sources.
Geoff Payne, Liam’s father, was seen at Ezeiza International Airport shortly before the flight, in a video widely shared on social media. The singer’s body was transferred early Wednesday from the British Cemetery in Buenos Aires, where it had been embalmed, according to local media reports. An employee from the funeral home managing the arrangements told AFP on Tuesday that repatriation was planned within 24 to 48 hours.
Payne, who was 31, was found dead on October 16 after reportedly falling from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires. His passing prompted an outpouring of grief from family, fans, and his former One Direction bandmates, sparking discussions around the pressures faced by young stars in the entertainment industry.
The singer had previously been open about his struggles with substance abuse and the challenges of fame. Reports indicate that hotel staff called emergency services twice to report a guest believed to be under the influence and damaging his room in the hours leading up to his death.
On Tuesday, Geoff Payne visited a memorial outside the CasaSur hotel, where fans had placed letters, photographs, and flowers in honor of his son. As a former member of One Direction, one of the highest-grossing acts of the 2010s, Liam Payne had achieved notable success but had seen his solo career stall in recent years.
