Authorities use 50-meter net to guide shark but fall short
Officials weigh next steps for additional rescue operation
Two attempts to guide a shark nicknamed Bukang-i out of the waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park in Busan and back to the sea have both ended in failure.
Bukang-i cleared a large net that rescue authorities had set up during an operation on Friday and returned to the inner section of the waterfront park at around 12:02 p.m. Saturday, according to Yonhap and other reports.
The Busan Coast Guard and other relevant authorities had deployed a net measuring 50 meters in length and 6.8 meters in height, dragging it toward the No. 6 pedestrian bridge near the sea entrance to coax the shark out of the waterway.
The net became snagged on underwater rocks, and as Bukang-i showed no inclination to move further toward the exit, authorities anchored it at a point roughly 100 meters inside the waterway outlet.
The net was intended to prevent Bukang-i from retreating deeper into the waterway.
The shark lingered around the net, probing for a gap, and ultimately slipped over it at around noon Saturday, heading back into the inner waterway.
Busan city and other relevant authorities plan to monitor whether Bukang-i makes its way back to the sea on its own during the National Foundation Day holiday, which runs Saturday through Monday.
The failed rescue drew an outpouring of sympathy from the public. Since Bukang-i was first spotted, the park has logged more than 700,000 cumulative visitors.
Authorities are watching the shark's condition while deliberating over methods for a further rescue operation.
kido@heraldcorp.com
