Rescue operation for Busan shark set to resume

Authorities in Busan were set to resume a rescue operation Friday to move a canal-trapped shark, Bukang-i, to the outer sea after an earlier attempt failed. A joint team of city and Coast Guard officials planned to use a 50-meter net, two vessels and 10 personnel at Busan’s North Port. The shark had drawn more than 600,000 visitors since it was first spotted on Sept. 18.

The rescue operation was scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Busan’s North Port.

The team planned to use a 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net, two vessels and 10 personnel.

During Tuesday’s previous attempt, officials spent about five hours using only water streams before the shark escaped behind the boats.

Bukang-i had drawn more than 600,000 visitors as of Monday after first being spotted in the canal on Sept. 18.

Authorities said no feeding had been observed since the shark appeared, and they decided it was no longer viable to let it stay in the canal.

Published Oct 2, 2026 12:54 pm KST

Maritime authorities conduct a rescue operation to guide a shark out of a canal at a waterfront park to the open sea in the southeastern city of Busan, Tuesday. Yonhap

Authorities were set to resume a rescue operation Friday to guide a canal-trapped shark to the outer sea of the southeastern city of Busan after a first attempt failed earlier this week.

A joint rescue team involving city and Coast Guard officials is scheduled to begin the operation at 3:30 p.m. using a 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net to draw the shark, "Bukang-i," out of the canal at Busan's North Port.

Two vessels and 10 personnel will be deployed.

One vessel will tow the center of the net, while five people positioned on each side of the channel will pull the net in sync with the shark's speed toward the outside of the artificial waterway.

The other vessel will be fitted with pumps to spray water streams as the shark swims toward the canal's exit.

During the previous attempt Tuesday, authorities spent about five hours trying to guide the shark out using only water streams, without a net, but the animal repeatedly escaped by swimming behind the boats.

Bukang-i — a combination of Bukhang, or North Port, and the Korean suffix "i" — had attracted more than 600,000 visitors as of Monday since it was first spotted in the canal on Sept. 18.

With no feeding observed since its appearance, the authorities concluded it was no longer viable to let the animal stay in the canal and held a meeting Monday to discuss rescue plans.

釜山当局原计划于周五重启救援行动，将困在运河中的鲨鱼“北江伊”（Bukang-i）转移至外海。此前的一次救援尝试以失败告终。釜山市政府和海岸警卫队联合小组计划在釜山北港使用一张50米长的渔网、两艘船只和10名工作人员进行救援。自9月18日首次被发现以来，这条鲨鱼已吸引了超过60万名游客前来参观。

救援行动原定于周五下午3点30分在釜山北港开始。

该团队计划使用一张长 50 米、高 6.8 米的网，两艘船和 10 名人员。

在周二的上一次尝试中，官员们花了大约五个小时只用水流，但鲨鱼还是从船只后面逃脱了。

自9月18日首次在运河中被发现以来，截至周一，Bukang-i 已吸引了超过60万名游客。

当局表示，自从鲨鱼出现以来，没有观察到任何进食行为，因此他们认为让它继续留在运河中已经不可行了。

发布于2026年10月2日下午12:54（韩国标准时间）

周二，韩国东南部城市釜山，海事部门展开救援行动，引导一条鲨鱼从海滨公园的运河中游出，返回大海。（韩联社）

当局原定于周五恢复救援行动，试图将一条被困在釜山东南部城市运河中的鲨鱼引至外海。此前，第一次救援行动在本周早些时候失败。

由市府官员和海岸警卫队官员组成的联合救援队计划于下午 3:30 开始行动，使用一张长 50 米、高 6.8 米的网将鲨鱼“Bukang-i”从釜山北港的运河中拉出来。

将部署两艘舰艇和10名人员。

一艘船将拖曳渔网的中心，而位于航道两侧的五个人将与鲨鱼的速度同步地将渔网拉向人工水道的外侧。

另一艘船将配备水泵，当鲨鱼游向运河出口时，会向其喷射水流。

在周二的上一次尝试中，当局花了大约五个小时试图仅用水流引导鲨鱼离开，而没有使用渔网，但这只鲨鱼却多次游到船后逃脱。

自 9 月 18 日在运河中首次发现以来，Bukang-i（由 Bukhang，即北港，和韩语后缀“i”组合而成）截至周一已吸引了超过 60 万名游客。

由于自该动物出现以来一直没有进食，当局认为让该动物继续留在运河中已不再可行，并于周一召开会议讨论救援计划。