American YouTuber Arrested for Attempting Contact with Isolated Tribe on North Sentinel Island

A 24-year-old American YouTuber, Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, was taken into custody on Thursday after being arrested for visiting North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean. He had hoped to make contact with the isolated Sentinelese tribe. His next court appearance in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is scheduled for April 29.

Polyakov's arrest occurred on March 31, two days after he entered the restricted territory. He aimed to meet the Sentinelese people, a tribe known for their reclusive nature. A senior police officer, speaking anonymously, stated that Polyakov's actions violated Indian laws, as contact with the Sentinelese could endanger their survival.

Polyakov is suspected of violating Indian laws, which could result in a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine. Visitors are prohibited from approaching within three miles of North Sentinel Island. The island's inhabitants have remained isolated from the outside world for millennia and are known to use spears and bows and arrows. They are hostile towards outsiders, attacking anyone who lands on their shores.

In 2018, an American missionary, John Allen Chau, was killed by the Sentinelese after illegally landing on the beach. In 2006, the tribe killed two fishermen who had accidentally landed on the island. An official from the U.S. consulate visited Polyakov in jail earlier in the week.

Police reported that Polyakov had researched sea conditions, tides, and island accessibility before his visit. He spent approximately an hour on the beach, attempting to attract the islanders' attention with a whistle, but received no response. He had previously attempted to visit the island twice. During this visit, he left a can of Diet Coke and a coconut as an offering and collected sand samples before returning to his boat.

Following his arrest, the charity Survival International condemned Polyakov's actions. The group's director, Carolina Pearce, stated that his actions were reckless and endangered both his own life and the lives of the Sentinelese tribe. She emphasized the tribe's vulnerability to common diseases, which could lead to their complete eradication. Polyakov was apprehended in Port Blair, an archipelago located approximately 750 miles east of India's mainland, after being spotted by local fishermen.