Huge crowds watch attempt to rescue shark stranded in South Korean canal

Crowds gather to watch shark rescue in South Korea

The full report

A group of self-appointed guardians, known as jagyeongdan, took turns to protect the shark, patrolling the waterfront at night for visitors who might disturb the animal. They wore hi-vis vests and carried selfie sticks, livestreaming the waterway where the shark became a national celebrity.

The shark, a female dusky shark, was one of a species classed as endangered worldwide. She was about 3 metres long and had been marooned in the canal since 18 September. Authorities had twice tried to guide her back out to sea and failed.

The group of protectors, who are mostly YouTubers, stayed up through the night, calling out anyone shining torches or lasers into the water. They brought fishing lamps or the kind of lights people use at a campsite, and the offenders were dubbed “lantern villains” by Koreans online.

The shark was successfully guided out of the canal on Wednesday, after more than a month in the waterway. Officials expect her to move into open water in time. The group of protectors had been keeping watch over the shark for a month, drawing crowds by day and leaving a handful of men to keep watch after dark.