‘The Voice of Holland’ star Ben Saunders found dead in a lake

Ben Saunders, who won the first season of The Voice of Holland in 2011, has died at the age of 43.

Saunders was found dead on Tuesday, September 15, at the Rijkerswoerdse Plassen, a popular recreational lake, located in Elst on the border of Arnhem South in the Netherlands, according to local newspaper De Telegraaf. DutchNews.nl.

A cause of death has yet to be revealed, per Netherlands’ public broadcaster NOS.

The Police Unit East Netherlands told PEOPLE in an email on Wednesday, September 16, “We can confirm that a body was found yesterday at a recreational lake of Arnhem and that police have ruled out foul play. We do not release or comment on personal details.”
Ben’s brother, Dean Saunders, was among those paying tribute to the late singer on social media.

“My dear little brother passed away today… I have never felt pain like this before… what a terrible day for all of us… We have to learn to live with this, and I hope it is treated with respect…” Dean wrote in an Instagram post, alongside a throwback photo of the two brothers.

“Ben had a beautiful family and relatives who love him dearly—and I always will, too… Ben is in my heart, and he will stay there forever,” he concluded in the post, translated from Dutch.

Dean also wrote on the brothers’ Tattoo Saunders business Instagram profile, “Rest in peace my little brother Ben Saunders will never be forgotten,” alongside a more recent photo of the siblings.

Dean won the Netherlands version of the reality show Popstars in 2011, a day after Ben won the country’s version of The Voice, per NOS.

The Voice of Holland, the original iteration of The Voice franchise, first premiered in 2010, with the show going on to spawn over 150 adaptations of the talent show around the world, ITV reported.