Former Miss World contestant and beauty queen, Sherika De Armas, who represented Uruguay in the 2015 Miss World competition, has tragically passed away at the age of 26 after a two-year battle with cervical cancer.

Local media reported her death which prompted an outpouring of emotional tributes from friends and family.

Sherika's brother, Mayk’ De Armas, paid a heartfelt tribute on social media, saying, "Fly high, little sister. Always and forever."

Miss Uruguay, Carla Romero, expressed her sorrow too. She described Sherika De Armas as "too evolved for this world" and "one of the most beautiful women I have ever met in my life."

Anto Ciavaglia, a close friend, fondly remembered Sherika for her radiant glow.

Sherika De Armas competed in the 2015 Miss World contest held in Sanya, China, although she did not make it to the top 30.

However, she garnered praise for her "beautiful face, towering height, and charismatic personality."

She was noted as one of the promising young talents in Uruguay.

Speaking about her passion for modelling, Sherika expressed her aspirations, "I always wanted to be a model, whether a beauty model, an advertising model, or a catwalk model. I like everything related to fashion, and I think that within a beauty pageant, any girl's dream is to have the opportunity to participate in Miss Universe. I am very happy to be able to live this experience full of challenges."

Beyond her modelling career, Sherika De Armas operated the Shey De Armas Beauty Studio where she sold personal care, makeup, and hair products.

She also dedicated her time to the Pérez Scremini Foundation, an organization focused on childhood cancer.

Cervical cancer, which Sherika battled, is most common in individuals over the age of 30.

The disease can be prevented with regular screening and the HPV vaccine, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.