Famed Galapagos Island Rock Formation Darwin's Arch Collapsed

Landscape view of Darwin's Arch near Darwin Island of Galapagos

The iconic rock formation in the Galapagos Islands known as Darwin's Arch collapsed on Monday (May 17) morning. The massive 141 feet high, 230 feet long, and 75 feet wide formation sits about a half-mile off the coast of Darwin Island, which is only accessible by boat.

Ecuador's Environment Ministry said that the collapse was due to natural erosion.

"Obviously, all the people from the Galapagos felt nostalgic because it's something we're familiar with since childhood, and to know that it has changed was a bit of a shock," Washington Tapia, director of conservation at Galapagos Conservancy, said according to ABC News. "However, from a scientific point of view, it's part of the natural process. The fall is surely due to exogenous processes such as weathering and erosion, which are things that normally happen on our planet."

The area is a popular spot for scuba divers, and a group happened to be in the area when the top crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The Aggressive Adventures ecotourist agency shared photos of the collapsed rock formation on Facebook.

"Unfortunately today, our guests of the Galapagos Aggressor III experienced a once in a lifetime event. This morning at 11:20am local time, the world-famous Darwin's Arch collapsed in front of their eyes. There are now only two pillars remaining. Some in the dive & travel industry are already referring to this now as "The Pillars of Evolution." We will miss this iconic site. 💔," they wrote.

Photo: Getty Images


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