3-Meter Bluntnose Sixgill Shark Spotted at Busan Waterfront Park: "Likely Lost While Searching for Food"

Response Concludes Six Hours After Report
Shark Sightings Increase as Sea Temperatures Rise

A shark appeared in a waterway at a park in Busan, prompting a response from the maritime police.

On the morning of the 18th, a shark is swimming at the beach of Busan North Port Waterfront Park. Provided by Busan Maritime Police Station

On the morning of September 18, the Busan Maritime Police Station received a report from a passerby about a shark sighting in the waterway at North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, at 8:57 a.m. The police immediately dispatched the Central Marine Special Rescue Team, a coastal rescue boat, and a patrol ship to the scene, and also requested support from the fire department and other relevant authorities.

The waterfront park features a waterway connected to the sea, and on this day, a shark measuring approximately 3 to 4 meters in length reportedly swam close to the pedestrian walkway used by citizens.

The Busan city government issued a safety alert message, stating, "A report has been received about a shark sighting in the waterway within the waterfront park," and urged "those walking in the area and nearby residents to pay special attention to safety."

Following recommendations from the National Institute of Fisheries Science, which advised that trying to forcibly drive out the shark could provoke aggressive behavior, the maritime police did not attempt to capture it. Instead, they guided the shark to return to open sea on its own.

However, as the shark remained in the waterway and did not leave easily, the authorities used devices typically deployed to remove dangerous fish species, but these proved ineffective. The maritime police completed their efforts to remove the shark at 3:15 p.m., about six hours after receiving the report.

The police explained, "We have requested Busan Port Authority, which is responsible for managing the waterfront park, to install warning signs about the shark risk. We also plan to monitor both land and sea patrols for any possible reappearance of the shark."

The shark spotted at the waterfront park that day is believed to be a bluntnose sixgill shark, a species belonging to the Hexanchidae family. These sharks are found throughout the subtropical regions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including the Korean coast, and are classified as a highly dangerous species.

In Busan, on September 30 last year, the carcass of a 2-meter, 100-kilogram shark was discovered near the exclusive pier of the Busan Maritime Police Station. Additionally, on August 22 last year, a month earlier, the body of a 3-meter, 100-kilogram white shark was found in the waters off Mullyangjang in Yeongdo-gu, Busan.

Researcher Ji Hwansung at the National Institute of Fisheries Science said, "Recently, there have been continuous reports of bluntnose sixgill sharks off the east coast of Korea due to rising sea temperatures. It is presumed that the shark came this far in search of food." The frequent shark sightings in the waters off Busan appear to be related to higher ocean temperatures in the summer that attract yellowtail, mackerel, and other prey species for sharks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.