The Kissing Elephants Arch on Comino Has Fallen — What We Know
Published: 27 June 2026 | Updated as information becomes available
Update — 27 June 2026, Evening
It is with deep sadness that we must report that one person has lost their life in this incident.
The collapse of the Kissing Elephants Arch occurred at approximately 19:30 (7:30pm) this evening. A jet ski was passing beneath the arch at the time of the collapse. One person on the jet ski has sadly died as a result.
We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of the victim. This is an immeasurable tragedy.
We ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy at this extremely difficult time.
The Armed Forces of Malta and emergency services were on scene. We will update this page as official information is released.
Out of respect for the victim and their family, we have removed certain sections of this article that were not appropriate in light of this tragedy.
The Kissing Elephants Arch
One of the most beloved natural rock formations on the island of Comino — the Kissing Elephants Arch, known in Maltese as Il-Ħnejja ta’ Taħt it-Trinċiera /Taħt il-Batterija ta’ Kemmuna — has collapsed this evening.
The arch fell in calm weather conditions during a very hot day. A jet ski on safari was passing underneath the arch at the time of the collapse. The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) and rescue boats are currently on scene. At the time of publishing, we do not yet know if anyone has been seriously injured — we hope and pray that everyone is safe.
This is an active situation. We will update this page as more information becomes available.
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What Happened — What We Know So Far
The arch collapsed this evening in the late hours. Weather conditions at the time were calm — no waves, no storm, no strong wind. Malta and Comino have been experiencing extremely hot and dry conditions, and it is possible that the prolonged heat may have contributed to the natural limestone weakening — though this has not been confirmed.
A jet ski on safari was passing underneath the arch — something that was commonly done on tours in the area, as the arch was large enough for boats and jet skis to pass through comfortably. The entire ceiling of the arch came down.
The AFM Armed Forces of Malta and rescue RHIBs are currently on scene in the water at the location. Our thoughts are with everyone involved.
We will update this blog the moment more information is confirmed.
Where is the Kissing Elephants Arch Located?
The Kissing Elephants Arch — Il-Ħnejja ta’ Taħt it-Trinciera — sits on the southeastern coastline of Comino, directly beneath Saint Mary’s Battery (il-Batterija ta’ Santa Marija), the historic fortification built by the Order of Saint John in 1715.
Coordinates: 36°00′24.1″N, 14°20′46.5″E
It is accessible by boat only — there is no land route to this part of the Comino coastline. On private boat tours, the arch was typically reached by circumnavigating the southern side of the island, approaching from the direction of the Crystal Lagoon and continuing southeast along the cliff line beneath the battery.
From the sea, the battery is clearly visible on the clifftop directly above — the restored cannons visible against the skyline. The arch sat at water level beneath those cliffs, framing a section of extraordinarily vivid blue water between the limestone formations.
It was not a spot that ferry passengers or day-trippers on shared boats ever reached — sitting on the far side of the island from the Blue Lagoon, the arch was exclusively part of the longer private boat tour circuit. For many guests, it was the most unexpected and most talked-about stop of the day.
What Was the Kissing Elephants Arch?
For those who never had the chance to see it — here is what has been lost.
The Kissing Elephants Arch — Ħnejja ta’ Taħt it-Trinċiera /Taħt il-Batterija ta’ Kemmuna in Maltese — was a natural limestone arch on the southern coastline of Comino, sitting directly beneath Saint Mary’s Battery, the historic artillery fortification built by the Order of Saint John in 1715-1716.
The arch was large. Large enough that boats passed through it. When you approached by sea, the formation appeared as two opposing limestone shapes leaning toward each other — resembling, from the right angle, two elephant heads meeting. The name came naturally, and stayed.
The water beneath and around the arch was extraordinary — deep, vivid, electric blue, the same quality of turquoise as the Blue Lagoon but without any of the crowds. For snorkellers, the reef around the base of the arch was genuinely excellent — parrot fish, rabbit fish, groupers, wrasse, and sargos all common here.
It was one of the highlights of longer private boat tours of Comino. The kind of stop that guests photographed, shared, and talked about long after coming home. The kind of place that made people understand why those of us who work on these waters consider Comino one of the most extraordinary coastlines in the Mediterranean.
About five years ago, a section of the arch had already fallen — making what remained even thinner, even more dramatic, even more photogenic. In retrospect, that was perhaps the first sign of what was to come.
How Does This Compare to the Azure Window?
This is the question every Maltese person and Malta visitor will ask tonight.
The Azure Window — Tieqa tad-Dwejra — collapsed in March 2017 during a violent storm. Enormous waves. Ferocious wind. A storm that had been battering the Gozo coastline for days.
The Kissing Elephants Arch fell on a calm, hot, dry evening with no waves at all.
That difference matters — and it is unsettling. Natural limestone arches in the Mediterranean are shaped by centuries of wave action, salt erosion, and thermal expansion and contraction. Extended periods of extreme heat and drought can accelerate the internal fracturing of limestone that is invisible from the surface. This arch may have been weakening slowly for years before this evening.
The Azure Window was significantly larger and more famous globally — it appeared in Game of Thrones and was arguably the most photographed natural feature in the Maltese islands. The Kissing Elephants Arch was smaller, less internationally known, but no less loved by those who knew Comino properly.Both are now gone. Both remind us that the Maltese coastline — extraordinary and ancient as it is — is also fragile and constantly changing.
The History of the Location — Saint Mary’s Battery
The arch sat directly beneath one of the most historically significant coastal fortifications on Comino — Saint Mary’s Battery (Batterija ta’ Santa Marija), also known as the Comino Battery.
Built between 1715 and 1716 by the Order of Saint John, the battery was constructed to protect the South Comino Channel. It originally held two 24-pounder and four 6-pounder iron cannons facing the sea, with a semi-circular gun platform and a single blockhouse for ammunition storage.
By 1770 the battery had been abandoned. A Gozitan family lived there prior to World War II. The cannons were eventually dragged into the gorge beneath — the same gorge where the arch stood — in an attempt to take them to a foundry. The 24-pounders were too heavy to move and remained.
In 1997, a joint operation by the Armed Forces of Malta and the Royal Navy retrieved the cannons from that gorge using a helicopter from HMS Illustrious. They were restored and mounted on reproduction gun carriages. The battery was restored by Din l-Art Ħelwa between 1996-1997 and again 2003-2004, and has been open to the public ever since.
The arch beneath it had stood for centuries. It stood through the abandonment of the battery, through World War II, through the restoration. It did not stand through the summer of 2026.
Can You Still Visit the Area?
Yes — and it remains a very special part of the Comino coastline.
The arch itself is gone. But the area around it is still extraordinary, and still fully accessible by private boat. In fact, the fallen rock now on the seabed creates a new feature for snorkellers and free divers — a dramatic and historically significant underwater formation that will tell its own story.
What remains in the area:
🏰 Saint Mary’s Battery — il-Batterija ta’ Santa Marija above — the restored 1715 artillery battery with its original cannons, visible on the cliff top directly above where the arch stood. Open to the public.
🐕 The Hound
— a natural rock formation nearby that, from the right angle, looks exactly like a dog in a sleeping position. One of the lesser-known geological curiosities of the Comino coastline — and now, perhaps, the most prominent natural formation remaining in this stretch.
🤿 Snorkelling — the area remains excellent for snorkelling. The reef around the base of the arch was genuinely rich, and the fallen rock will create new habitat almost immediately. Parrot fish, rabbit fish, groupers, wrasse, and sargos will still be there.
🕳️ The caves — multiple sea caves in the immediate area remain intact and accessible by boat.
Here is the updated beach paragraph only — replace just that section 👇
🏖️ The Outdoor Explorers Beach — round the corner from the arch, tucked out of sight, there is a small secret beach that was created just last winter by one of the season’s storms. It is so new that it barely appears on anyone’s radar yet. Locals have started calling it the Outdoor Explorers Beach — named after the fact that one particular local boat tour company seems to have discovered it early and tends to be anchored there regularly whenever conditions allow.
⚠️ Important warning if you visit by boat: There are significant boulders just beneath the surface in this area. Do not anchor or approach without knowing exactly where they are. This is a spot for experienced skippers who know the seabed — not for self-drive boats visiting for the first time. Always follow your skipper’s guidance on where to anchor safely.
We will update this section as the situation develops over the coming days.
A Warning About Crystal Lagoon
While writing this, it is important to share something that local skippers have been aware of for some time.
There is a section of the Crystal Lagoon near Popeye Cave where the limestone overhang is slowly, gradually weakening. It has been moving for some years. It is not in imminent danger of collapse in the way the Kissing Elephants Arch was — but it is a reminder that natural limestone formations across the Comino coastline are dynamic, not permanent.
On our tours, we are already careful to anchor slightly further out from that section rather than beneath it. If you are visiting by self-drive or are on any boat in the Crystal Lagoon, do not anchor beneath limestone overhangs. This is good advice anywhere on the Maltese coastline, and it is advice that tonight makes more relevant than ever.
What This Means for Boat Tours
For visitors who have booked private boat tours with us — our tours will continue. The broader Comino coastline remains extraordinary, safe, and accessible. The loss of the arch is significant but it does not change what makes Comino remarkable as a destination.
We will update our route to reflect this change — the area will still be a stop on longer tours, now with the fallen arch visible beneath the water rather than above it.
For bookings and questions, contact us here.
Our Thoughts Tonight
We have been on this water every single day for over 25 years. The Kissing Elephants Arch was part of our coastline in the way that a family home becomes part of a family — not just a stop on a tour, but a place with a meaning that builds up over hundreds of visits and thousands of guests.
Our thoughts tonight are entirely with the family of the person who lost their life. We have been on this water for over 25 years. This is a tragedy that has deeply affected our entire community. We ask everyone to keep the family in their thoughts
And we are thinking of the arch itself. Of the guests who photographed it, who swam beneath it, who asked us its name and why it was called that. Of the moment when the two shapes first became recognisable from the boat and someone always, always said — I see it, I see the elephants.
Malta’s coastline is extraordinary. It is also ancient, fragile, and changing. Moments like this remind us to appreciate what is here while it is here — because nothing lasts forever, not even limestone.
Updates — We Will Add Here as More is Known
- 20:00 27 June 2026: AFM and rescue boats on scene. Situation ongoing. No confirmed injuries at time of publishing.
- More updates to follow
FAQ — Kissing Elephants Arch Comino
What was the Kissing Elephants Arch?
A natural limestone arch on the southern coast of Comino — known in Maltese as Il-Ħnejja ta’ Taħt it-Triċentera — large enough for boats to pass through, with extraordinary blue water beneath. One of the most photographed natural formations on private boat tours of Comino.
When did the Kissing Elephants Arch fall?
The arch collapsed on the evening of 27 June 2026, in calm, hot, dry weather conditions with no waves or storm.
Was anyone hurt when the arch fell?
A jet ski was passing underneath the arch at the time of collapse. The Armed Forces of Malta and rescue boats are on scene. No confirmed information on injuries at time of publishing — we are updating this page as more becomes known.
Where was the Kissing Elephants Arch on Comino?
On the southern coastline of Comino, directly beneath Saint Mary’s Battery — the artillery fortification built by the Order of Saint John in 1715-1716. Coordinates: 36°00′24.1″N, 14°20′46.5″E
Is this like the Azure Window collapse?
Both were natural limestone arch collapses in Malta — but the circumstances were very different. The Azure Window fell in March 2017 during a violent storm with enormous waves. The Kissing Elephants Arch fell on a calm, hot, dry evening with no waves at all. The mechanism of collapse appears to be very different.
Can you still visit the area?
Yes — the area remains accessible by private boat. The arch itself is gone but the surrounding cove, the nearby caves, Saint Mary’s Battery above, The Hound rock formation, and the snorkelling reef all remain. The fallen arch rock on the seabed creates a new underwater feature.
What is Saint Mary’s Battery?
An artillery battery built on Comino by the Order of Saint John between 1715-1716, originally armed with six cannons. Restored by Din l-Art Ħelwa in the 1990s and 2000s, open to the public year-round.
What does Il-Ħnejja ta’ Taħt it-Triċentera mean?
Il-Ħnejja means arch or vault in Maltese. Taħt it-Triċentera refers to its position beneath the fortification. It is the official Maltese name for what visitors called the Kissing Elephants Arch.
Further Reading
- Comino Island Malta — Complete Guide 2026
- Best Things To Do on Comino 2026
- Comino Sea Caves — Complete Guide
- Crystal Lagoon Malta — Complete Guide
- Comino History — Pirates, Prisons & Power
- Comino Tower — Saint Mary’s Tower
- Best Snorkelling Spots Malta, Gozo and Comino 2026
- Private Boat Tour Malta — Complete Guide
- Blue Lagoon Malta — Complete Guide 2026
