Dusky shark lingers near Busan canal after latest rescue attempt
Rescue teams in Busan have reinforced barriers after a celebrity dusky shark left the canal but circled back minutes later, with winter and stress raising concern for her health.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Rescue teams in Busan are still trying to guide a three-metre-long female dusky shark, nicknamed Bukangi, out of a narrow canal and into open water. The endangered shark has been in the waterway for more than a month and has become a local celebrity. More than 1.6 million people have visited the harbour park to see her, and the city has made her an official mascot. Merchandise has followed.
Earlier attempts failed. A third operation brought together 10 government agencies, including police, the oceans ministry and the city of Busan. Workers used a floating raft and netting to push the shark slowly towards the harbour. After about eight hours she was moved to the mouth of the canal. The relief did not last. Overnight she broke through a barrier and swam back into the canal, stopping at a secondary barrier.
Rescue workers then reinforced the barrier with a second, sturdier net and tried again. Reports described the shark finally leaving the canal and heading towards the open harbour, but minutes later she was seen circling back and lingering near the entrance. The lead scientist said it was unclear why she had returned. The main theory was that noise from ships in the open harbour had disoriented her and she had lost her sense of direction.
Concern for her health is growing. She has not been seen feeding during 34 days in the canal, appears weaker and has scrapes or bruises on her snout and fins from the concrete surfaces. Crowds, noise and night-time lights have added stress, and local people formed patrols to stop anyone shining lights at her. Experts say the concrete harbour is not a natural habitat and the species cannot survive the Korean winter, which is approaching.
Warmer seas and plentiful fish may have drawn the shark into the canal, and scientists warn that she may not be the last to enter Busan harbour as sea temperatures rise. Some in the crowd have called for the net to be removed so she can stay, but the rescue team says that cannot be allowed. The aim is to guide her out without further stress so she can head south to warmer water. The outcome of the latest operation remains uncertain because she has returned before.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widely reported · 3 or more of 4 channels | ||||
| A third attempt is under way to rescue a large shark trapped in a harbour in South Korea. | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | ||
| The shark returned to the canal during the two previous rescue attempts. | Not reported by ITV | |||
| Reported by a few · 2 channels | ||||
| More than 1.6 million people had visited the Busan harbour to see the shark. | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | |
| Ten government agencies are coordinating the rescue. | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | |
| The shark had a bruised snout, possibly from contact with hard surfaces, and concerns were raised about stress from crowds and city noise. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | ||
| Only on one channel | ||||
| A three-metre dusky shark is believed to have travelled from the Korea Strait to Busan. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | |
| The shark had spent 33 days in the canal. | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV |
| The shark was named an honorary ambassador for the city. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | |
| The species of shark involved cannot survive winter conditions in South Korea. | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News gave the story rolling live coverage from Busan, mixing operational detail with the shark's celebrity status. Its correspondents tracked the failed barrier overnight, the reinforced net, and the health risks from crowds, noise and winter. It was also the channel that most clearly framed the shark as an endangered species and a possible sign of warmer seas.
- “Now, a third attempt to rescue a large shark trapped in a harbor in South Korea is underway.”
- “Overnight, the shark Bukangi, who was pushed to the mouth of the canal to the left of me, has swam back, breaking through the barrier the rescue workers have installed yesterday to keep her out”
- “After three failed attempts on the fourth day, the rescue workers have finally succeeded in putting a barrier and keeping the shark outside towards the mouth of the canal.”
BBC ONE West treated the rescue as a fast-moving live story, using correspondent updates from Busan to report the third attempt and then the apparent success after eight hours. Its lunchtime bulletin stressed the shark's 33 days in the canal, her mascot status and the risk that she could return. A later bulletin carried the return but with less detail than BBC News.
- “Well, just before nightfall, the rescue attempt, after two failed attempts and eight hours of trying today, they have finally managed to relocate the beloved shark, Bukangi, from the narrow canal to the mouth of the canal over there just behind me.”
- “But I think it's still too early to say if this mission was a success, because the last two times that they have attempted this, the shark came back both times.”
Channel 4 gave the story a short summary slot, focusing on the practical setback rather than the celebrity coverage. It reported that officials were looking for a new way to free the shark after she swam back following an earlier release. There was no correspondent update or detailed health angle.
- “Officials in the South Korean city of Busan are looking for a new way to free a large shark that spent more than a month in a narrow canal there.”
- “After two failed attempts, they managed to guide it into the open sea yesterday, only for it to swim back into the canal just a few hours later.”
ITV1 focused on the shark as a local celebrity and tourism draw, with a human-interest tone. It reported the return to the canal and growing health concerns, while noting the shark is a threatened species and may have been drawn by unusually warm water. It included the sharp contrast between normal visitor numbers and the 1.6 million people who came to see her.
- “Bukangi, as she's been affectionately nicknamed, has caused quite a stir.”
- “This waterfront would normally see around 14,000 visitors a week, but 1.6 million people have flocked to this South Korean canal in a month to catch a glimpse of their new neighbour gliding through the water.”
- “Concerns for her health are growing.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.