Andy Fletcher death: Depeche Mode co-founder died after suffering an ‘aortic dissection’, says band

Fletcher died in May aged 60

Co-founder of Depeche Mode, Andy “Fletch” Fletcher’s cause of death was revealed by the band on Tuesday (27 June).

Fletcher, the band’s keyboardist, died last month on 26 May. At the time, no cause of death was specified.

In an Instagram post shared on Tuesday (28 June), Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan and Martin Gore told fans that the 60-year-old musician had suffered an aortic dissection, adding that “he passed naturally and without prolonged suffering”.

An aortic dissection is which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the aorta, leading blood to rush through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split. If the blood goes through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is often deadly.

Alongside a portrait of Fletcher, Gahan and Gore wrote: “A couple weeks ago we received the result from the medical examiners, which Andy’s family asked us to share with you now.”

“Andy suffered an aortic dissection while at home on May 26,” they continued, adding: “So, even though it was far, far too soon, he passed naturally and without prolonged suffering.”

They also told fans that the band had organised “a celebration of Andy’s life in London last week”, describing it as a “beautiful ceremony and gathering with a few tears, but filled with the great memories of who Andy was, stories of all of our times together, and some good laughs”.

Depeche Mode thanked their fans for the outpouring of love and support for Fletcher’s family and friends, writing that “it honestly means the world to all of us”.

Fletcher was born in Nottingham in 1961.

He formed a band called No Romance in China with schoolmate Vince Clarke in the late Seventies, before adding Gore to the line-up in 1980 and changing their name to Composition of Sound. Later that year, Gahan joined the band and they changed their name once more to Depeche Mode.

The Eighties synth band – with hit singles including “Just Can’t Get Enough” and “Enjoy the Silence” – were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2020.