Niall Horan says Liam Payne's death 'doesn't feel real'

Liam Payne's former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan has said he is “absolutely devastated” by the “death of his amazing friend”.

Payne died Wednesday evening in Buenos Aires and had flown to Argentina to watch Horan perform on the tour.

“It doesn't feel real,” Horan wrote.

“I feel very lucky to have seen him recently. Unfortunately, I did not know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It is heartbreaking.”

Payne, 31, fell from the balcony of the hotel room on the third floor where he was staying.

His father arrived in the Argentine capital. A family member must identify his body before it can be released and returned to the UK.

It is not yet clear when this will happen.

“Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the smartest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and safe,” Horan's statement, posted on Instagram, read.

“All the laughs we've had over the years, sometimes about the simplest things, come 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.”

Horan, 31, also sent his “love and condolences” to Payne's family.

“Thank you for everything, Payno,” he signed.

Full coverage of Liam Payne's death:

The pair have remained friendly since One Direction split in 2016, with Payne explaining to fans on Snapchat earlier this month that he was visiting Horan to catch up.

He said: “It's been a long time since Niall and I have spoken, we have a lot to talk about.

He added: “There are no hard feelings or anything like that, but we have to talk.”

Payne attended Horan's concert last week, and once again posted videos on social media of himself and girlfriend Kate Cassidy singing and dancing to the show.

Horan ended his world tour on October 9 in Bogotá, Colombia, and has since reportedly returned home to London.

He was the latest member of One Direction to release a solo statement regarding the death of 31-year-old Payne.

The band, who reunited in 2010 on The X Factor, posted a joint statement on Thursday, saying they needed time to “grief and process the loss of our brother.”

Harry Styles said in his individual statement His “heart goes out” to Payne's family and added: “His greatest joy was making others happy, and it was an honor to be by his side while he did that.”

Louis Tomlinson echoed Styles' sentiments, calling Liam “the most vibrant part of One Direction” who had a “gift for writing.”

Zayn Malik spoke to Payne directly in his statement, praising him for his “positive outlook and reassuring smile.”

Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote Payne's 2017 debut single Strip That Down, also responded to the news on Instagram on Friday, saying he was “confused”.

“My thoughts are with his family and loved ones, every memory I have of him is a great one, such a heartbreaking situation.”

Sheeran ended his post by asking fans to “be kind”, a sentiment echoed by Robbie Williams.

Williams, who performed with One Direction on The X Factor in 2010, said he had previously reached out to offer help to Payne because his “trials and tribulations were very similar to mine.”

“What a talented, handsome boy,” he wrote. “What a tragic, painful loss for his friends, family, fans and the energy this moment created – the world.”

“We don't know what's going on in people's lives,” he wrote.

“What pain are they experiencing and what makes them act the way they do.

“Before we reach judgment, a little slack must be given.”

He added: “We can at least try to be more compassionate towards ourselves, our family, our friends, strangers in life and strangers on the internet.

“Even famous strangers need your sympathy.”

Payne has spoken openly in recent years about his struggles with alcohol and the impact that fame has had on his mental health.