Arabic version: بوكَنغي تعود إلى قناة بوسان بعد محاولة إنقاذ

According to BBC News, Bukangi, a famed dusky shark in South Korea, has returned to the canal in Busan where she had been stranded for a month. The return came a day after authorities said they had guided her from the canal into an open harbour.

Local media reported that the shark swam back to the canal mouth after apparently breaking through a barrier installed by authorities. Another operation to relocate Bukangi was scheduled for Thursday.

The three-metre-long shark, nicknamed after the canal where she was spotted, became an unlikely attraction in the south-eastern port city last month. More than 1.6 million visitors have gone to a Busan park in recent weeks to see her, and the city has embraced Bukangi as an unofficial mascot.

Authorities have nonetheless been concerned for the shark’s health. Bukangi appeared to be injured and was not eating, while falling water temperatures raised concerns that she could become weaker. Experts believe she may have been drawn into the canal by unusually warm water and an abundance of fish. They say Busan could host more sharks in future as the sea warms each year.

During a livestreamed rescue operation on Wednesday, workers spent more than eight hours carefully using a net to guide Bukangi towards open water in the harbour. Hundreds of spectators cheered and waved goodbye, unaware that she would still be near the canal the following day. Two previous attempts to lead her out with nets had also failed.