Carrie Fisher has passed away. The actress best known for her role as Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" movie series died in hospital on Tuesday, December 27 only several days after she suffered a massive heart attack on an airplane. She was 60 years old, AceShowbiz said.

"It is with a very deep sadness that [her daughter] Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning," her family said. "She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly. Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers."

Carrie Fisher had been busy promoting her new memoir "The Princess Diarist" before she was hospitalized. She went into cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles on Friday, December 23, reportedly 15 minutes before her plane was scheduled to land. Last year, she reprised her iconic role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens".