Shark returns to canal a day after 2nd rescue attempt

A shark named Bukang-i returned to a canal in Busan around noon on Saturday, a day after authorities had guided it near the outlet to the open sea. The shark crossed a 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net installed by a joint rescue team at Busan’s North Port. It was the second rescue attempt after an earlier try on Tuesday failed. Bukang-i has drawn more than 700,000 visitors since it was first spotted on Sept. 18, and authorities have stepped up patrols during the holiday period through Monday.

The shark is about 3.5 meters long and was first spotted in the canal on Sept. 18.

A joint rescue team of city and Coast Guard officials used a 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net in the rescue operation.

The first rescue attempt on Tuesday, which used only water streams, failed because the shark repeatedly swam behind the boats.

Bukang-i was named an honorary ambassador of Busan earlier this week.

Authorities said they stepped up patrols in anticipation of large crowds during the holiday period, which runs through Monday.

Published Oct 3, 2026 2:39 pm KST

A rescue operation using a large custom-made net to guide shark "Bukangi" to open sea is underway at North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, Friday. Yonhap

A shark trapped in a canal in the southeastern city of Busan has returned to the waterway a day after authorities managed to guide it to near the canal's outlet to the open sea, officials said Saturday.

The shark, named "Bukang-i," crossed the 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net installed by a joint rescue team the previous day and returned to the inside of the canal at around noon, according to officials.

The rescue team, comprising city and Coast Guard officials, had installed the net as part of a rescue operation to escort the shark out of the canal at Busan's North Port on Friday.

However, the net became stuck to the bottom of the canal and the shark showed no intention of moving out, leading the authorities to halt the rescue operation and fixed the net some 100 meters from the canal exit.

It marked the second attempt to rescue the shark, after the initial attempt on Tuesday involving only water streams, without the net, failed as 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 700,000 visitors as of Saturday since it was first spotted in the canal on Sept. 18.

Large swaths of crowds have flocked over to the waterfront park in the southeastern port city to catch a glimpse of the 3.5-meter shark, which was named an honorary ambassador of the city of Busan earlier this week.

Authorities have stepped up patrols in anticipation of large crowds during the holiday period, which runs through Monday.

周六中午前后，一条名叫“北海鲨”（Bukang-i）的鲨鱼重返釜山的一条运河。此前一天，当局曾引导它游至运河出口附近。这条鲨鱼穿过了釜山北港联合救援队设置的长50米、高6.8米的防鲨网。这是继周二救援失败后的第二次尝试。自9月18日首次被发现以来，“北海鲨”已吸引了超过70万名游客前来参观。在假期期间（截至周一），当局已加强了巡逻力度。

这条鲨鱼身长约 3.5 米，于 9 月 18 日首次在运河中被发现。

市府和海岸警卫队官员组成的联合救援队在救援行动中使用了一张长 50 米、高 6.8 米的网。

周二的第一次救援尝试仅使用了水流，但由于鲨鱼反复游到船只后面而失败。

本周早些时候，Bukang-i被任命为釜山荣誉大使。

当局表示，为应对假期期间（持续到周一）可能出现的大量人群，他们加强了巡逻。

发布于2026年10月3日下午2:39（韩国标准时间）

周五，在釜山东区北港海滨公园，救援人员正使用特制的大型渔网引导鲨鱼“布坎吉”游向外海。韩联社

官员周六表示，一条被困在釜山东南部城市运河中的鲨鱼在被当局引导至运河入海口附近一天后，已返回运河。

据官方消息，这条名为“布康伊”的鲨鱼越过了联合救援队前一天安装​​的50米长、6.8米高的防鲨网，并在中午左右返回了运河内部。

周五，由市府官员和海岸警卫队官员组成的救援队在釜山北港运河部署了渔网，作为将鲨鱼护送出运河的救援行动的一部分。

然而，渔网卡在了运河底部，鲨鱼也没有要离开的打算，导致当局停止了救援行动，并将渔网固定在距离运河出口约 100 米的地方。

这是第二次尝试营救这条鲨鱼。此前，周二的第一次尝试只用水流，没有使用渔网，但鲨鱼多次游到船后逃脱，最终失败。

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）截至周六已吸引了超过 70 万名游客。

大批人群涌向东南部港口城市釜山的海滨公园，一睹这条 3.5 米长的鲨鱼的风采。这条鲨鱼在本周早些时候被授予釜山市荣誉大使的称号。

为应对假期期间（持续到周一）可能出现的大量人群，当局已加强巡逻。