Six months to the day since the Azure Window vanished into the sea at Dwejra, authorities have yet to take down a sign forbidding visitors from walking across the iconic rock formation. 

The Azure window is gone, but this sign remains in place.

The sign was installed last December after the environmental regulator issued an emergency and conservation order making walking, climbing, abseiling or jumping off the Azure Window an offence subject to a €1,500 fine.

Just five months earlier, the Malta Tourism Authority had said that it saw no immediate need to forbid people from walking across the rock formation. It subsequently changed tack and said it would be stepping up its monitoring efforts. 

Despite the pledges, monitoring remained inadequate and just a few days before the Azure Window collapsed, Times of Malta published video of a group of tourists scaling the rock formation without any qualms. 

The Azure Window vanished exactly six months ago, on March 8, after raging waters ate into the rock below sea level. 

“Suddenly, the arch collapsed into the sea with a loud whoomph, throwing up a huge spray. By the time the spray had faded, the stack had gone too," an eyewitness at the scene said at the time. 

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