Jānis Vaišļa, Latvia’s representative at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest as part of the group Pirates of the Sea, has passed away at the age of 46.

Jānis Vaišļa was earlier diagnosed with the heart condition cardiac amyloidosis, which rapidly progressed in recent weeks. Due to this, Jānis required an urgent life-saving heart transplant and, within weeks, flew to the German capital of Berlin in order to continue with the procedure.

Sadly before the procedure could take place, Jānis’ condition deteriorated before the television and radio personality passed away at the age of 46 on the night of the 9 January in a Berlin hospital.

Jānis Vaišļa was known as a radio personality as part of the station Radio Skonto, as well as being part of and behind a number of entertainment broadcasts within Latvia.

In 2008, Jānis along with fellow members Roberto Meloni and Aleksandra Kurusova created the musical trio, Pirates of the Sea, going on to represent Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest in the host city of Belgrade.

With their entry Wolves of the sea, written and produced by Swedish composers Jonas Liberg, Johan Sahlen, Claes Andreasson and Torbjörn Wassenius, the trio qualified to the grand final of the contest going on to receive a total of 83 points, ending in 12th position.

The ESCToday team offers their deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Jānis Vaišļa.