Busan authorities guide shark out of canal on third attempt

Busan authorities guided Bukangi out of the North Port canal on Wednesday, spotting the shark outside the canal near a pier at around 6 p.m. after their third rescue attempt. The shark had been trapped for more than a month, and officials hope it will eventually reach open waters. The canal park had drawn more than 1.6 million visitors as of Sunday.

Bukangi was first spotted in the canal on Sept. 18.

The rescue team included municipal and Coast Guard officials and used a net secured to a flat floating platform.

Authorities began the operation around 10 a.m. and steered the shark toward Marina Bridge.

The waters near the pier where Bukangi was spotted are not considered open sea.

Officials made the third attempt because they were concerned the shark could die if water temperatures fell further.

Published Oct 21, 2026 8:53 pm KST

Updated Oct 21, 2026 9:40 pm KST

People watch a third operation to guide a shark nicknamed “Bukangi” back to the open sea in Dong District, Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap

Authorities in the southeastern port city of Busan successfully guided a shark out of a city canal Wednesday on their third attempt after the animal spent more than a month trapped there.

The shark — named "Bukangi" after Bukhang, the Korean word for North Port — was first spotted in the canal Sept. 18. Since then, the canal park has turned into a major attraction, drawing over 1.6 million visitors as of Sunday.

A joint rescue team involving municipal and Coast Guard officials used a net secured to a flat floating platform to drive the shark out of the canal at Busan's North Port, located about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Authorities began the operation around 10 a.m., steering the shark toward Marina Bridge with the net. The shark, which had been swimming near the bridge, was spotted in waters outside the canal near a pier at around 6 p.m.

The sighting indicated that Bukangi had left the canal, at least for the time being. However, the waters near the pier are not considered open sea.

Authorities hope the shark will eventually make its way to open waters.

After two previous attempts to guide the shark to the open sea failed, officials had waited for it to exit the canal on its own. But after it didn't, the officials made the third attempt over concern it could die if water temperatures fell further.

釜山当局周三成功引导鲨鱼布坎吉离开北港运河。在第三次救援尝试后，他们于下午6点左右在运河外靠近码头的地方发现了这条鲨鱼。这条鲨鱼已被困一个多月，官员们希望它最终能够回到开阔水域。截至周日，该运河公园已接待超过160万游客。

9月18日，布坎吉首次在运河中被发现。

救援队由市政官员和海岸警卫队官员组成，他们使用一张固定在平坦浮动平台上的网。

当局于上午 10 点左右开始行动，并将鲨鱼引向滨海大桥。

布坎吉被发现的码头附近水域不属于公海。

官员们进行了第三次尝试，因为他们担心如果水温进一步下降，鲨鱼可能会死亡。

发布于2026年10月21日晚上8:53（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月21日晚上9:40（韩国标准时间）

周三，在釜山东区，人们观看第三次将一条名为“布坎吉”的鲨鱼放回大海的行动。韩联社

釜山东南部港口城市当局周三第三次尝试，终于成功地将一条鲨鱼从城市运河中引出。此前，这条鲨鱼已被困在那里一个多月。

这条鲨鱼被命名为“北港”（Bukangi），取自韩语中“北港”的意思。它于9月18日首次在运河中被发现。自那以后，运河公园已成为一个主要的旅游景点，截至周日已吸引了超过160万游客。

由市政官员和海岸警卫队官员组成的联合救援队使用固定在平坦浮动平台上的渔网，将鲨鱼从釜山北港的运河中驱赶出来。釜山北港位于首尔东南约 330 公里处。

当局于上午10点左右开始行动，用渔网将鲨鱼引向滨海大桥。这条鲨鱼此前一直在桥附近游弋，下午6点左右在运河外靠近码头的水域被发现。

目击事件表明，布坎吉号至少暂时离开了运河。然而，码头附近的水域并不属于公海。

当局希望这条鲨鱼最终能够游到开阔水域。

此前两次引导鲨鱼前往公海的尝试均告失败后，相关人员一直在等待它自行离开运河。但它并未自行离开，出于对水温进一步下降可能导致鲨鱼死亡的担忧，相关人员进行了第三次尝试。