This famous (and super cool) rock formation just collapsed into the ocean

Kenya Foy
Updated
This famous (and super cool) rock formation just collapsed into the ocean
This famous (and super cool) rock formation just collapsed into the ocean

Sheesh, y’all. One day, we’re feeling all upbeat and peppy about this amazing planet, and the next day we’re mourning the loss of one of the world’s most famous rock formations. In case you haven’t heard, Malta’s famous Azure Window collapsed into the ocean. As Cosmo reports, a heavy storm swept through the area earlier this week, completely decimating what we deemed one of the 10 reasons to see the world.

According to NPR, a 2013 study declared the collapse of Malta’s landmark — referred to by the Maltese as Tieqa tad-Dwejra — as inevitable due to ongoing erosion, but didn’t predict it for “decades to come.”

If you’re a regular Game of Thrones viewer, you’ll might recognize the picturesque oceanside formation from the show.

Here’s a look at the remaining storm-ravaged rock:

According to the Times of Malta, Maltese resident Roger Chessell witnessed the natural rock arch collapse in person.

“There was a big raging sea beneath the window,” he said. “Suddenly, the arch collapsed into the sea with a loud whoomph, throwing up a huge spray. By the time the spray had faded, the stack had gone too.”

Both locals and travelers took to social media to express sadness over the natural limestone formation, post their favorite photos:

As one of Europe’s most recognizable locations, the Azure Window stood on Gozo Island, the second largest in the Maltese archipelago. It seems that people all around the world are in mourning over one of nature’s most wonderful creations, including Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who referred to the aftermath of the storm as “heartbreaking.”