Selfie sent to mate hours before cliff death

Nick Cave and his wife, model Susie Bick, paid tribute in a statement to "our beautiful, happy loving boy". Photo / AP

Australian rock icon Nick Cave's son Arthur sent this photo to a friend just hours before he died after falling from a cliff in East Sussex, England.

Police sources said the 15-year-old's death was a tragic accident, not a suicide.

The tragedy was made public late on Wednesday night (NZT) when Cave - best known for his work with his band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - and his wife, model Susie Bick, paid tribute in a statement to "our beautiful, happy, loving boy".

Arthur was found unconscious on Tuesday at 6pm (UK time) on the beach underneath Ovingdean Gap, an 18m-high cliff. Some walkers performed first aid on him before an air ambulance took him to hospital, but he died later that night.

At 3.40pm that day, hours before he was found, Arthur sent the photo to a schoolfriend through the messaging app Snapchat.

The next day, his twin brother, Earl, left flowers and a message on the beach. The note read: "Arthur - I love you so much. You were a joy to be around and I will never forget you. You were the best brother I could ever ask for. Earl."

Kimya Hajisaeagh, also 15 and a friend of Arthur's since primary school, told the Mirror: "I just can't believe it. I'm in shock, everybody is in shock.

"He wouldn't normally hang around here but one of our friends lives near the hillside and he may have been going to visit him. It's just the worst thing ever."

Arthur's fall comes after a group of teenagers were spotted at the weekend on top of the nearby Seven Sisters cliffs, dangling their legs over the edge of the cliffs, which are known for rock falls.

Arthur Cave, son of singer Nick Cave (inset), sent this photo of himself to a schoolfriend through the messaging app Snapchat on the day he died. Photo / AP