Busan launches second rescue operation to guide shark 'Bukang-i' back to sea

The Busan city government announced Thursday that it will launch a full-scale follow-up rescue operation starting at 3:30 p.m. Friday to safely return "Bukang-i," a shark lingering in the scenic waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park, to its natural habitat.

The city conducted a first attempt Tuesday using vessels and water pumps to guide the shark out, but Bukang-i did not leave the waterway and the release effort fell short. The follow-up operation addresses the limitations of that first attempt by using a large net to completely block the shark's path back into the inner waterway and steer it toward the open sea.

A joint rescue team from relevant agencies will assemble near the No. 4 pedestrian bridge at 1:30 p.m. Friday for a final equipment check and rehearsal before the main operation begins at 3:30 p.m.

The National Institute of Fisheries Science, which is leading the rescue and release effort, has constructed a large blocking net measuring 50 meters long and 6.8 meters high for the operation. The net is designed to prevent the shark from retreating deeper into the waterway, with heavy weights attached to its lower edge to minimize the gap between the net and the waterway floor.

Two vessels and 10 crew members will carry out the guiding operation in a coordinated approach covering both the waterside and the open water. One vessel will tow the center of the net, while five people on each bank hold the ends to keep pace. When the shark moves toward the waterway entrance, the net will advance with it; if the shark turns back, the net will be held in place to prevent it from retreating further inside.

At the same time, a separate vessel equipped with a water pump will follow behind the net, generating bubbles as needed to nudge Bukang-i toward the open sea. Workers on the waterside will also use light sticks to track and share the shark's real-time position throughout the operation.

Experts from the National Institute of Fisheries Science will monitor the shark's health and behavior in real time during the operation, adjusting their method and pace based on conditions at the scene and any signs of stress from the shark.

Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo pledged to do everything possible to ensure Bukang-i returns safely to the open sea through the carefully prepared follow-up operation. "We will not only look after the shark's health with close attention based on expert judgment, but also ensure there is not a single lapse in on-site safety management," he said.