The top of a famous rock formation in the Galapagos Islands, known as Darwin’s Arch, has fallen into the sea.

Ecuador’s Environment Ministry reported the “shock” collapse of the structure on Monday.

Experts are blaming stone erosion.

The formation, named after the English biologist Charles Darwin, is just off Darwin Island and the waters around it are considered to be a top diving location.

Informamos que hoy 17 de mayo, se reportó el colapso del Arco de Darwin, el atractivo puente natural ubicado a menos de un kilómetro de la isla principal Darwin, la más norte del archipiélago de #Galápagos. Este suceso sería consecuencia de la erosión natural.

📷Héctor Barrera pic.twitter.com/lBZJWNbgHg

A tweet from the Environment Ministry translates: “We inform that today, May 17, the collapse of the Darwin Arch was reported, the attractive natural bridge located less than a kilometre from the main island Darwin, the northernmost of the archipelago of #Galápagos . This event would be a consequence of natural erosion.”

The structure stands 43m (141ft) high at its two end “towers”. The middle section joining them, often called a “natural bridge”, has now crashed into the waters below.

Washington Tapia, director of conservation at Galapagos Conservancy, said: “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.”

But he added: “However, from a scientific point of view, it’s part of the natural process.

“The fall is surely due to exogenous [external] processes such as weathering and erosion which are things that normally happen on our planet.”

The Galapagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, 600 miles (1,000km) off the coast of mainland Ecuador.

They are considered one of the world’s best destinations for wildlife viewing and their unique flora and fauna are famed in part for inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The naturalist visited in 1835 and tourists from across the world have followed in his footsteps to see the islands’ biodiversity.

Related posts:

EU blocks Oxford vaccine shipment to Australia as shortages row escalates Pope arrives in Iraq for historic first-ever papal trip to nation despite security and COVID fears Outrage in India over latest ‘honour killing’ as father beheads daughter after finding her with man Brazil’s top court allows Copa America to go ahead despite COVID Body found in bag on seabed off Tenerife confirmed as missing six-year-old girl ‘Caring’ English teacher found dead after going missing in Japan It’s all over – Italy beat England on penalties in nail-biting Euro 2020 final Four people seriously injured as German city hit by tornado Above the Amazon: Why the vital carbon store could disappear within a few generations ‘I thought it was a Halloween stunt’: 17 injured as man dressed as Batman’s Joker stabs passengers on Tokyo train Oil vessel explodes off coast of Nigeria Teenager describes moment she was attacked by crocodile in Zambia as she vows to return to build a school