The Star Shark Challenges Korea Again.. Escaped from the Rescue Net and Returned to the Canal

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In a notable new development, the massive shark that had settled for days in a waterway in Busan, South Korea, has returned to the inner part of the canal after managing to bypass the large rescue net set up by authorities to prevent its return, just one day after a second attempt to release it into open waters.

The shark, which locals have named "Bokangi," is about 3.5 meters long and was spotted again on the afternoon of Saturday, October 3, between the fourth and fifth bridges in the waterfront park of Busan North Port, which is the area where it has been seen since arriving in the canal.

Authorities had begun a new attempt to rescue the shark yesterday, Friday, after the first attempt failed, which used boats and water hoses to push it toward the sea.

This time, rescue teams resorted to a specialized net that is 50 meters long and 6.8 meters high, aiming to gradually push the shark toward the canal exit leading to the sea. Indeed, the teams managed to move it to an area close to the exit.

However, the operation stopped after the net got stuck at the bottom of the channel, while the shark showed no willingness to continue moving towards the sea. Therefore, the net was fixed about 100 meters from the channel's exit, in an attempt to prevent it from returning inside.

Then something unexpected happened for the rescue teams; the shark kept circling near the net, as if it was looking for a way to cross.

By Saturday afternoon, it managed to surpass the barrier and return inside the channel, causing the rescue operation to practically return to square one after less than 24 hours of progress towards the sea.

The authorities are currently considering the next step, while announcing that they will continue to monitor the shark over the weekend, with the possibility of allowing it to attempt to exit to the sea on its own.

The story has become more than just a rescue operation for a large marine animal; the shark has turned into an unexpected media phenomenon in Busan.

Since it was first spotted in the canal on September 18, the number of people who visited the site to see it has exceeded 700,000, while authorities have intensified patrols in preparation for the influx of more visitors over the weekend.

Notably, the city of Busan went beyond just following the story, as it granted the shark earlier this week the title of honorary ambassador of the city, after it became one of the most bizarre sights that attracted attention to the waterfront park.

After two failed attempts to return it to the sea, the question now is: Will "Bokangi" leave the canal on its own, or will authorities have to carry out a third rescue attempt?

While thousands of visitors gather to see the shark, rescue teams are closely monitoring its movements, after it proved that a 50-meter net was not enough to convince it to leave the spot it has chosen for itself.