Shark returns to Busan waterway after second rescue bid fails

SEOUL – A second attempt to steer a 3.5m shark out of an artificial waterway in Busan failed within a day after the animal crossed a large net barrier and returned to its usual spot in the channel on Oct 3.The shark, nicknamed “Bukang-i,” crossed over a net installed inside a waterway at North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan at around noon, according to officials.The Busan Coast Guard and other authorities had installed a 50m long, 6.8m high net near the park’s fourth pedestrian bridge on Oct 2 as part of their second effort to guide the shark back to sea. Rescuers moved the net closer to the open sea, in hopes of steering Bukang-i toward the waterway’s exit.The operation stalled after the net became caught on the bottom of the channel and the shark stopped moving toward the sea. The authorities eventually suspended the operation on the evening of Oct 2.The net was left in place as a barrier to prevent the shark from returning deeper into the waterway. Bukang-i continued circling near the net and appeared to search for a way through before eventually crossing it Saturday.The shark has since returned to the stretch of water between the fourth and fifth pedestrian bridges, a spot where it has often been spotted during its time in the park.Crowds turned out again on Oct 3 to catch a glimpse of Bukang-i after the latest rescue attempt failed to persuade it out of channel. The authorities are now weighing what to do next.Officials from the Busan city government and other agencies plan to monitor the shark from Oct 3 through Oct 5 to see whether it leaves the waterway on its own.Bukang-i has remained in the North Port waterfront park waterway for more than 10 days. Its prolonged stay has drawn visitors hoping to see the large shark at close range, turning the previously quiet waterfront park into an unexpected tourist attraction.More than 700,000 people have visited the North Port waterfront park since the shark was first spotted, according to the authorities.The rescue efforts come as experts warn that keeping the shark confined for an extended period in the shallow, narrow waterway could threaten its survival and that intervention may be necessary. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK