The Famous Rock Formation Seen On Game Of Thrones Has Collapsed Into The Sea

The Azure Window, a limestone arch in Malta that served as a backdrop in the Game of Thrones series, is no more. The rock structure, which was located on the small island of Gozo, collapsed into the Mediterranean sea during a big storm this week.

A witness to the event told the Times of Malta,"There was a big raging sea beneath the window. Suddenly, the arch collapsed into the sea with a loud whoomph, throwing up a huge spray."

Thankfully, no one was injured, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Environment minister Jose Herrera said during a press conference (via The Washington Post) that multiple studies were undertaken about the rock structure, all of which concluded that nothing could have been done to prevent the collapse.

Gozo minister Anton Refalo said the collapse of the Azure Window is like "losing a part of yourself," while Malta's prime minister tweeted about the news and shared some pictures.

According to a report from the European Commission, more than 850,000 people visited the Azure Window every year, including 80 percent of tourists who visited Gozo. It's a big loss for the island's tourism market. But the Gozo Tourism Association remains optimistic about the future, writing on Facebook that it still expects Gozo to attract thousands of tourists every day to see some of the island's other sights.

The Azure Window was also featured in 1981's Clash of the Titans.

Game of Thrones Season 7 is expected to premiere this summer. The first poster was released this week and can be seen here.