Zayn Malik “shocked” and “absolutely devastated” following Liam Payne’s death in a tragic accident

Zayn Malik is reportedly “completely devastated” after learning of the sudden death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, who tragically passed away on Wednesday at the age of 31.

Payne fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and died instantly as a result of multiple injuries, including a fractured skull. Argentine media reported Payne had been behaving erratically before the incident and police were called to the hotel over concerns about his behavior.

A source close to 31-year-old Malik told DailyMail.com that he was in “shock” and was being asked by friends for support. “Zayn was informed in the early hours of the morning and he was in absolute distress,” the insider said. The source added that Malik’s parents have reached out to Payne’s family to express their condolences.

Despite tensions between the two in recent years, Malik and Payne shared a strong bond during their time in One Direction. “They respected each other from a distance,” the insider explained, “and both felt exploited in the music industry.” Payne had previously admitted this in a podcast where he expressed complicated feelings about Malik but assured that he “ would always be on his side.”

Payne was in Argentina to attend a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan. His family expressed their sadness at the loss, saying: “Liam will live in our hearts forever.”