A shark stranded in a canal in South Korea’s Busan has become a major attraction, drawing around 600,000 visitors over two weeks.
The 3.5-metre shark was first spotted in a narrow waterway at North Port on September 18. Despite several days passing, the animal has failed to find its way back to the ocean.
Authorities launched a rescue operation on Tuesday to guide the shark toward open waters. However, the effort failed after the animal swam away from water jets used by rescue teams.
Rescue Teams Prepare New Operation
The Coast Guard and other agencies deployed vessels and sprayed water behind the shark to gently push it toward the sea. Videos published by Yonhap News Television showed the shark moving away from the streams.
Officials now plan to use a net to guide the animal out of the canal on Friday, according to the Chosun Daily. The shark has reportedly been identified as a bronze whaler.
The animal has also received the nickname “Bukangi,” derived from “Buk Hang,” the Korean name for Busan’s North Port, and the Korean suffix “-i.”
Stranded Shark Becomes Local Celebrity
The shark’s presence has attracted an extraordinary number of visitors to the waterfront park. Around 480,000 people visited the area during the four-day Chuseok holiday, compared with the usual weekend average of about 2,000 visitors.
Busan also declared the shark an honorary public relations ambassador on Tuesday. A poll on the city’s official Instagram account reportedly received 91% approval from around 8,000 participants.
The unusual wildlife encounter has captured widespread attention across South Korea. Authorities will now attempt another rescue operation as the shark remains stranded in the canal.
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