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3w ago

American Arrested for Illegal Visit to Sentinelese Island, Violating Tribal Protections

Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, is in police custody after his unauthorized landing on North Sentinel Island, risking the health of its isolated indigenous tribe.

American Man Arrested After Attempting To Visit Isolated Sentinelese Tribe With Can Of Cola As "Offering"
Image
n this November 14, 2005 file photo, clouds hang over the North Sentinel Island, in India's southeastern Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
A photograph issued by the Indian Coast Guard and Survival International in 2004 showed Sentinelese man aiming a bow and arrow at a helicopter

Overview

  • Polyakov reportedly planned his solo expedition meticulously, using GPS navigation to reach North Sentinel Island on March 29, 2025, despite strict legal prohibitions.
  • He briefly landed on the island, left offerings of a coconut and a can of soda, collected sand samples, and recorded a video before returning to the mainland.
  • Authorities confirmed this was Polyakov’s third attempt to access the restricted area, with prior visits in October 2024 and January 2025 that included illegal filming of another protected tribe, the Jarawa.
  • Indian police are interrogating Polyakov, reviewing his GoPro footage, and investigating his broader activities during his stay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • The incident has reignited concerns about the enforcement of protections for the Sentinelese, one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes, who are vulnerable to diseases introduced by outsiders.