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Tourist Killed as Comino's 'Kissing Elephants' Rock Arch Collapses

A magistrate has opened an inquiry to determine whether tourist activity or safety failures caused the collapse.

Overview

  • The natural stone arch broke apart Saturday evening, with large rocks falling onto a jet ski and crushing a 26-year-old Chinese man.
  • A 27-year-old Chinese woman who was on the same jet ski was seriously injured and taken to Gozo General Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds.
  • A 32-year-old American who had jumped from the formation was rescued by a passing boat and did not require hospital treatment.
  • Maltese army divers located the victim but could not recover the body until the Civil Protection Department used a large crane to lift debris so divers could retrieve it.
  • Investigators are probing the causes of the collapse and the role of tourist activity at the popular Comino site, which could prompt new safety controls or limits on recreational use.