Fans of the iconic Azure Window had a brief ‘window’ of joy this week when a cave in the south of Malta collapsed, creating a freshly-formed limestone arch for a few hours, before it collapsed into the sea.

“Nature has taught us another most important lesson in life. Appreciate, protect and preserve what is loaned to you, for what is lost cannot be brought back,” said Qrendi mayor David Schembri following the arch’s collapse. “The iconic G?ar ?aniex on the Qrendi coastline collapses, due to rough seas and coastal erosion. Nature gives and nature takes away.”

G?ar ?anex, which was located between Wied i?-?urrieq and G?ar Lapsi in Qrendi, was a cave popular with hikers and kayakers. It collapsed on Good Friday, and turned into a limestone arch before collapsing into the sea in part due to the strong winds Malta experienced over the Easter holidays.

Here’s what the interior of the cave looked like back in January, prior to its collapse

The arch’s fall left a large gap where the cave used to be

While many lamented the loss of the cave and arch, others pointed out that it was just nature “taking its course”

Following the fall, the sea surrounding the collapsed arch turned brown as the waves pulled at the rubble left from the collapse.

Did you get to see the cave for the few hours it existed?

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]