Malta landmark used in Game of Thrones collapses

A popular beauty spot in Malta used as a background for film and TV shows like Game of Thrones has collapsed into the sea.

The Azure Window was immensely popular with tourists in Malta, although concerns had heightened over its stability, since erosion had eaten away at the rock.

The rock served as the backdrop to the Dothraki wedding scene in Game of Thrones, and was also the setting for some scenes in Clash of the Titans and The Count of Monte Cristo.

Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat said it was "heartbreaking" to hear of the site's collapse.

"I have just been informed that the beautiful Tieqa tad-Dwejra in Gozo has collapsed," he said on Twitter.

"Reports commissioned over the years indicated that this landmark would be hard hit by unavoidable natural corrosion. That sad day arrived."

Officials had recently imposed fines on people who climbed over the structure, amid concerns about how long it would last.

Maltese environment minister José Herrera said that no human intervention could have prevented the rock's collapse, and that it was inevitable.