Ben Saunders, the singer who won the inaugural season of The Voice of Holland in 2011, has died at 43 after his body was found at a recreational lake in the Netherlands.
Saunders was reported missing earlier Tuesday before authorities recovered a body from Rijkerswoerdse Plassen at about 1:20 p.m. local time, according to DutchNews.nl. The recreational lake is located in Elst near Arnhem South.
The Police Unit East Netherlands confirmed the discovery to PEOPLE and said investigators had ruled out foul play. Authorities have not released a cause of death or additional personal details.
Saunders’ brother, Dean, announced his death on Instagram, sharing a tribute to his younger sibling. Dean described the loss as deeply painful and asked that Saunders’ family and loved ones be treated with respect.
Saunders became the first winner of The Voice of Holland in 2011 after auditioning with Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody.” He won the competition with “Kill for a Broken Heart,” which later appeared on his debut album You Thought You Knew Me By Now.
The album reached No. 1 in the Netherlands, while “Kill for a Broken Heart” became a Dutch Top 40 single. The original Dutch program later became the foundation for an international The Voice franchise with more than 150 adaptations, according to ITV.
Born in London, Saunders moved to the Netherlands as a child and eventually lived in Hoorn and Arnhem. He later operated a tattoo parlor, with his distinctive tattoos helping authorities initially identify his body.
His brother Dean also won a Dutch television talent competition in 2011. The siblings had performed together and represented the Netherlands at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest.
Former The Voice of Holland coach Marco Borsato also paid tribute to Saunders on Instagram, calling him a special person and expressing condolences to his fiancée Janita, friends and family.
A cause of death has not been disclosed. Dutch authorities have confirmed that foul play is not suspected.
