Niall Horan has spoken out following the tragic death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.
Payne tragically passed away at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina.
Despite authorities being on the scene quickly, Payne's injuries were so severe that he was unable to be revived.
It was reported that the hotel had called the police prior to the incident regarding the behavior of an unnamed male guest. The manager reportedly told the call operator that the guest "has a balcony, and we are afraid they might do something to put their life at risk".
Fans around the world are mourning the loss of the 31-year-old, and his former bandmate has now spoken out.
Taking to Instagram, Horan said: "I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam.
"It just doesn’t feel real. Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.”
He continued: “All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.
"I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking. My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear.
“Thank you for everything, Payno. Love you brother. Nialler”.
Horan is the final member of One Direction to pay tributes to Payne.
While each member has written their own tribute to the 31-year-old, they also released a joint statement as a band.
"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," they penned.
"But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. 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, Zayn, Niall and Harry."
