The Azure Window, a natural rock arch that jutted onto the sea off Malta and was a backdrop for the Game of Thrones TV series, has collapsed in a storm.
Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted his “heartbreaking” sadness at the loss Wednesday of one of the main tourist attractions on the island of Gozo.
No one was injured.
Geologist Peter Gatt said the limestone pillar supporting the arch gave way. He attributed the collapse to years of erosion by both under- and over-ground sea swells.
The window also served as a backdrop in the 1981 movie Clash of the Titans.
With parts of the rock formation crumbling over the years, the government last month enacted €1,500 fines ($2,300) for anyone caught walking across the arch.
The site from where one could admire it-Tieqa tad-Dwejra. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/S4XV6MyKRu
— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) March 8, 2017
It is a very sad day for Malta. The iconic Azure Window collapsed this morning, succumbing to the forces of nature and the passage of time. pic.twitter.com/ovc8Yj9gWH
— VisitMalta (@VisitMalta) March 8, 2017
