Indian authorities have arrested an American YouTuber for illegally trespassing on North Sentinel Island — one of the most isolated places on Earth.
Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested on Monday for his unauthorized trip to the island, home to the reclusive and dangerous Sentinelese tribe. GoPro footage from his visit shows him approaching the island by boat and attempting to make contact with the tribe, using a coconut and a can of Coke as some kind of offering.
There are just a few hundred Indigenous tribes across the globe who live a totally isolated and uncontacted life. Estimates suggest that 100-150 Sentinelese live on North Sentinel Island. India has banned anyone from coming within five kilometers of the island to protect the tribe. Polyakov seemed to think he was above such rules.
Photo: Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov/YouTube
“He landed briefly for about five minutes, left the offerings on the shore, collected sand samples, and recorded a video before returning to his boat,” Andaman and Nicobar Islands police chief HGS Dhaliwal told AFP.
What makes Polyakov’s stunt especially reckless is both the potential harm to the Sentinelese and the danger he put himself in. With no immunity to common diseases, even a basic cold could devastate the tribe. The government’s strict no-contact policy is partly to protect the Sentinelese from the pathogens we carry.
They want to be left alone
In addition, the tribe has made one thing very clear: They want to be left alone. They have lived in near-complete isolation for thousands of years and have consistently rejected contact with the outside world.
In 2018, tribespeople killed would-be American missionary John Allen Chau, who landed and attempted to meet them. After fishermen brought him to the island, he was shot with a bow and arrow. The fishermen later reported that they saw the tribesmen dragging his body along the beach. His body was never recovered, and because of the law against going to the island, his death was not investigated.
The Sentinelese on the beach. Photo: Christian Caron/Creative Commons
The tribe also killed two fishermen whose boat accidentally drifted onto shore in 2006. At the time, a Coast Guard helicopter that went to investigate saw their macheted bodies in shallow graves on the beach.
This isn’t Polyakov’s first dance with dangerous excursions. His social media accounts show him meeting Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. He allegedly undertook several scouting missions in the last few months before trying to get onto the restricted island.
Meticulous planning
Using an inflatable motorboat, he traveled the 35km to North Sentinel Island. Police say that he planned his journey “meticulously” and that there is evidence of him studying sea conditions, tides, and accessibility.
After reaching the island, he attempted to attract the attention of the Sentinelese people by repeatedly blowing a whistle from his boat for an hour before stepping onto the beach.
“It beggars belief that someone could be that reckless and idiotic,” Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, said in a statement.
If found guilty, Polyakov faces three to five years in prison for his stunt.
