Busan Shark Returns to Canal After Second Rescue Attempt Fails

A 3.5-meter shark stranded in an artificial waterway at Busan’s North Port Waterfront Park has returned to its familiar section of the canal after a second rescue effort failed, leaving local authorities to consider their next move.

The shark, nicknamed Bukang-i, crossed a large net barrier at around noon Saturday and moved back into the stretch between the park’s fourth and fifth pedestrian bridges. Officials had left the barrier in place after suspending an operation intended to guide the animal toward open water.

The Busan Coast Guard and other authorities installed the net near the fourth pedestrian bridge on Friday. Measuring 50 meters long and 6.8 meters high, it was moved toward the sea in an effort to encourage the shark to follow the waterway to its exit. The operation ran into difficulty when the net caught on the bottom of the channel and the shark stopped moving in the desired direction. Rescuers suspended the effort Friday evening.

Authorities kept the net in the canal to prevent Bukang-i from swimming back toward the inner section of the waterway. The shark circled near the barrier and appeared to look for a route through it before eventually crossing over on Saturday.

Bukang-i has now remained in the narrow, shallow waterway for more than 10 days. Officials from the Busan city government and other agencies plan to monitor the animal through Monday to see whether it leaves the canal without further intervention. Experts have warned that prolonged confinement in the restricted environment could threaten the shark’s survival, adding urgency to decisions about another rescue attempt.

The unusual visitor has also transformed the waterfront park into a major public attraction. Crowds gathered again Saturday to watch the shark, and authorities said more than 700,000 people have visited the park since it was first spotted. The turnout has brought sustained attention to an operation that must balance public interest, crowd management and the welfare of the animal.

For now, officials have not announced a third attempt. Their monitoring over the holiday weekend will help determine whether Bukang-i can find its own way back to sea or whether rescuers will need a different method to move it safely out of the canal.