Zayn Malik ‘shocked’ and ‘absolutely torn apart’ after Liam Payne’s death in tragic accident

Zayn Malik is reportedly “in pieces” 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 from multiple injuries, including a fractured skull. Argentine media reported that Payne had been behaving erratically before the incident, with police called to the hotel due to concerns about his behavior.

A source close to Malik, 31, revealed to DailyMail.com that he is in “shock” and surrounded by friends looking for support. “Zayn was informed in the early hours of this morning and is in shambles,” the source said. The source added that Malik’s parents have reached out to Payne’s family to offer 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 source explained, “and both felt exploited in the music industry.” Payne had previously acknowledged this on a podcast, where he expressed complicated feelings towards Malik, but stated that he would “always be by his side”.

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