Officials in Busan again try to free shark that slipped back into canal

Summary

South Korean officials in Busan made a third attempt to guide a gray shark, about 3 metres (9ft 10in) long, out of a canal and back toward the sea while large crowds watched, Euronews reported. The shark had been stranded in the canal for more than a month and has drawn over a million visitors. Phys.org reported that the new attempt began on Wednesday as falling temperatures raised concerns for the animal's survival, and later said it was coaxed out of the canal that day. The BBC reported that South Korea's oceans ministry said early on Thursday local time that the shark had been successfully guided out, and that unusually warm water and plenty of fish may have drawn it into the canal. ABC News later reported that the shark slipped back into the narrow canal and that the city is again trying to free it. The reports do not establish whether the shark has reached open water.

Timeline

1. Phys.org

   21 Oct 2026, 09:40 UTCSource ↗

   Phys.org reports that South Korean authorities began a new attempt on Wednesday to coax the shark back to sea from the Busan canal where it is stranded, with falling temperatures raising concerns for its survival.

2. Euronews

   21 Oct 2026, 10:39 UTCSource ↗

   Euronews reports that officials in Busan made a third attempt to guide the trapped shark out of the canal and back to sea, and that the animal has drawn over a million visitors.

3. ABC News

   21 Oct 2026, 15:11 UTCSource ↗

   ABC News reports in its headline that officials freed a large gray shark trapped for over a month in a Busan canal, while its summary says officials were still struggling to free it.

4. Phys.org

   21 Oct 2026, 16:00 UTCSource ↗

   Phys.org reports that authorities said on Wednesday the shark, a viral sensation, was coaxed out of the canal where it was stuck, as falling temperatures raised concerns for its survival.

5. BBC

   21 Oct 2026, 20:31 UTCSource ↗

   The BBC reports that South Korea's oceans ministry said early on Thursday local time that the shark had been successfully guided out of the canal, and that it may have been drawn there by unusually warm water and plenty of fish.

6. ABC News

   22 Oct 2026, 07:37 UTCSource ↗

   ABC News reports that a city in South Korea is again trying to free a huge dusky shark that slipped back into the narrow canal.