Shark returns to canal a day after 2nd rescue attempt

A shark named Bukang-i, which had been trapped in a canal in Busan, South Korea, returned to the waterway on October 3, a day after authorities attempted to rescue it for the second time. The shark, which had crossed a 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net installed by a rescue team the previous day, returned to the canal at around noon.

The rescue team, consisting of city and Coast Guard officials, had installed the net as part of an operation to escort the shark out of the canal on North Port. 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 relocate the net approximately 100 meters from the canal exit.

This marked the second rescue attempt, following an initial attempt on Tuesday that involved only water streams, which failed as the shark repeatedly escaped by swimming behind boats. Bukang-i, a combination of Bukhang, or North Port, and the Korean suffix "i," had drawn over 700,000 visitors since its first sighting on September 18.

The shark was named an honorary ambassador of Busan earlier this week, attracting large crowds to the waterfront park in the southeastern port city. Authorities have increased patrols in anticipation of the holiday period, which runs through Monday.

Brief written by urgent.news from Yonhap News's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.