Great Wall of shame: 2 held after smashing hole in China landmark

Great Wall of China Damaged , by Workers Looking for Shortcut. A man and woman, ages 38 and 55, respectively, have been arrested for allegedly damaging the Great Wall of China with an excavator, CBS News reports. The two construction workers allegedly wanted to shorten the time it takes to go around the wall, so they cut a hole through it with the excavator. The section of the wall, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty, is said to be "severely damaged.". Excavators were used to excavate the original gap of the ancient Great Wall into a large gap, so that the excavator could pass through the gap, , Police statement, via CBS News. ... which caused irreversible damage to the integrity of the Ming Great Wall and the safety of cultural relics, Police statement, via CBS News. The Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Some of the oldest portions of the wall are over 2,000 years old, CBS News reports. The structure is a testament to the accomplishments of ancient human engineering. . However, climate change and human activities have caused about 30% of the wall to disappear, CBS News reports.