After being trapped for more than a month in a canal in the South Korean city of Busan, a shark has finally made its way back to the open sea following a rescue operation by local authorities.

The female shark, measuring almost three metres in length, had been nicknamed “Bukangi”, after the Korean name for the city’s northern port, and had become particularly popular with residents and visitors to the area.

According to NBC News, the shark was first spotted in mid-September, when it began moving through the waters of a narrow canal in the city. It had remained trapped there ever since, swimming slowly in circles, with its fins frequently appearing above the water’s surface.

Watch the video:

A stranded shark in Busan has drawn more than a million visitors to the South Korean city, boosting local retail sales as authorities moved to stop vendors from cashing in https://t.co/QkieCkTHFZ https://t.co/roZR6bvMDF

— Bloomberg (@business) October 7, 2026

Third attempt to rescue the shark

Despite the public interest it attracted, the shark’s prolonged stay in the canal raised concerns among experts, who warned that its condition could deteriorate.

According to their assessments, there had been no signs that it was feeding while trapped, while the gradual fall in water temperature posed additional risks to its health.

Local authorities had made two previous attempts to guide it towards the open sea, on 29 September and 2 October, but both had failed.

During the earlier operations, boats spraying water had been used, along with nets placed along the narrow waterway. However, the shark managed to evade the boats and swim over the nets, remaining inside the canal.

Rescue operation using a floating platform

During the third operation, carried out on Wednesday, rescuers opted for a different approach, using a large floating platform that they gradually moved through the canal.

Workers aboard the structure used paddles to guide the shark towards the exit, preventing it from turning back whenever it approached the platform.

Meanwhile, dozens of other workers positioned along both banks pulled ropes to move the structure. Hundreds of people watched the unusual rescue operation from the canal’s banks.

Rescuers managed to move the platform approximately one kilometre, placing additional nets in front of the structure to prevent the shark from swimming back towards the inner part of the canal. When it reached the vicinity of the canal’s exit, it remained in the area for some time before eventually heading out to sea.

The successful completion of the operation was announced by Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon. In a Facebook post, the mayor thanked members of the public for the interest they had shown throughout the shark’s ordeal and rescue.