Shark Returns to Sea After Over a Month Stuck in a South Korean Port Canal
Source reports published 21 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 22 Oct 2026, 6:31 am AEST
A dusky shark, nicknamed Bukangi, spent over a month stranded in a Busan canal. Following multiple attempts, the shark was successfully guided back to the open ocean by South Korean authorities.
What happened
- A group of people, known as ‘jagyeongdan,’ have been monitoring a stranded dusky shark, named Bukang-i, in a Busan canal since September 18th.
- These YouTubers, including Na Tae-soo, patrol the waterfront at night, discouraging visitors from shining lights or lasers that could disturb the animal.
- The shark, approximately 3 meters long and an endangered species, had drawn over 1.6 million visitors to a nearby park.
- Authorities attempted twice to guide the shark back to sea, with a third attempt planned for Wednesday.
- Following a successful third rescue attempt, the shark was guided back to the open ocean after being trapped in the canal for over a month, possibly attracted by warm water and abundant fish.
- Waterfront access was restricted from midnight to five in the morning.
Original reporting
- Guardian: After dark, these YouTubers watch over an unlikely charge – a shark stuck in a South Korean canal
2026-10-21T00:00:00+00:00 - New York Times World: Shark Returns to Sea After Over a Month Stuck in a South Korean Port Canal
2026-10-21T13:15:41+00:00 - BBC: Bukangi: Huge crowds watch shark stranded in Busan, South Korea
2026-10-21T20:31:47.110000+00:00