Body of One Direction star flown home to Britain

BUENOS AIRES - The father of former One Direction star Liam Payne, who fell to his death from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, began repatriating the singer's body to Britain on Wednesday, a police source told AFP.

A flight carrying Payne's remains left Buenos Aires for London at 1:58 pm local time (1658 GMT), the source said.

A video circulating on social media showed his father Geoff at Ezeiza International Airport, minutes before boarding.

Argentine media reported that Payne's body was transferred on Wednesday morning from the British Cemetery in Buenos Aires, where it was embalmed.

An employee of the funeral home in charge of the arrangements told AFP on Tuesday it would be repatriated in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Payne was found dead on 16 October after plunging from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur Hotel in the Argentinian capital.

His death at age 31 prompted a global outpouring of grief and condolences from family, former bandmates, fans and others.

It also prompted a debate about whether the music industry has a duty of care for the mental health of stars who find fame at a young age.

Payne had spoken publicly about struggles with substance abuse and coping with fame from an early age.

Hotel staff had called emergency services twice to report a guest "overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol" who was "destroying" a hotel room.

On Tuesday, Geoff Payne again visited the makeshift memorial of letters, photos and flowers left by fans outside the CasaSur hotel after his son's death.

One of the highest-grossing live acts in the world, One Direction went on indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Payne went on to enjoy a degree of solo success but his career had languished recently.