An American tourist has been arrested for allegedly entering a restricted reserve on a remote island and leaving a can of Coke as an “offering” for the world’s most isolated tribe to sample. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, was arrested in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Monday for entering a restricted tribal reserve on North Sentinel Island without permission.
Polyakov arrived in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on March 26. Three days later, he used a makeshift vessel to travel around 25 miles across the strait from Kurma Dera Beach to North Sentinel Island. He reached the northeastern shores of the island on Saturday morning.
Taking a Dangerous Decision
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At around 10 am after reaching there, Polyakov tried to use his binoculars to scan the area for any signs of life. He then spent about an hour blowing a whistle from his inflatable boat, hoping to attract attention, but received no response.
He briefly set foot on the island for around five minutes, during which he collected samples, recorded a video, and left a can of soda along with a coconut as “offerings for the Sentinelese” tribe, according to police statements to The Press Trust of India.
The Sentinelese, who inhabit North Sentinel Island, are considered an extremely vulnerable group. Known for their hostility toward outsiders, they have previously attacked and killed people who tried to approach or land on the island.
Experts have condemned Polyakov’s actions as “deeply disturbing,” warning that he not only endangered himself but also put the entire Sentinelese population at risk. A single exposure to common illnesses such as measles or influenza could have devastating consequences for the isolated tribe.
According to police, his trip to the restricted area was meticulously planned. Authorities allege that he had studied sea conditions, tides, and possible entry points before embarking on the journey.
He returned to the beach around 7 p.m. the same day, where local fishermen spotted him and later reported his activities to the police.
Polyakov was arrested, and officers confiscated his boat, an outboard motor, and a GoPro containing footage of his landing on the prohibited island. “We are getting more details about him and his intention to visit the reserved tribal area,” Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ Director General of Police told the newspaper.
Putting Everyone in Danger
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Police are also investigating other locations Polyakov may have visited during his time in the region and are “questioning the staff at the hotel where he stayed in Port Blair.” India strictly prohibits travel to North Sentinel Island to protect the Sentinelese tribe from external dangers.
Caroline Pearce, director of the indigenous rights organization Survival International, condemned Polyakov’s attempt to reach the island, calling it “reckless and idiotic.” “This person’s actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk,” she said in a statement provided to the Daily Mail.
“It’s very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out.”
Pearce added that the “Sentinelese have made their wish to avoid outsiders incredibly clear over the years,” referencing the 2018 killing of American missionary John Chau by the tribe.
Chau, 26, was fatally struck by a barrage of arrows when he tried to step onto North Sentinel Island. He had repeatedly tried to make contact with the Sentinelese to preach about Jesus—an effort a friend later admitted “he knew that he had no business doing.’
According to fishermen who helped him reach the island, the tribe tied a rope around his neck and dragged his body away. His remains were never recovered. Chau began his missionary training in October 2017 at the All Nations International headquarters in Kansas City before embarking on his mission.
The organization follows the belief that spreading Christianity to “all nations” will hasten the second coming of Jesus and actively works toward fulfilling that objective.
Before his fatal journey, the missionary had traveled to the Andaman Islands, including the region near North Sentinel Island, in both 2015 and 2016. His ultimate aim was to establish a lasting connection with the indigenous people and, if possible, gain acceptance to live among them.
