U.S. YouTuber Arrested After Illegal Mission to ‘World’s Most Isolated’ Tribe (Video)

Per CNN:

“While Polyakov successfully reached the island, he does not appear to have made contact with the Sentinelese tribe, Jitendra Kumar Meena, head of the Andaman and Nicobar Police’s Criminal Investigations Department told CNN. He was spotted by a local fisherman on his way back and arrested two days later, Meena said. Police seized an inflatable boat and motor from Polyakov. He has not yet been charged with any offenses.”

Recently, satellite imagery showed some of the behaviors of the enigmatic tribe – from building pathways, forts, structures, and whatnot on the island.

According to EBSCO, a research database, here’s a little more on this mysterious tribe:

“The Sentinelese are an indigenous tribe residing on North Sentinel Island in the Andaman Islands of Southeast Asia, known for their isolation and fierce resistance to outside contact. As one of the last uncontacted tribes in the world, little is understood about their daily life and culture due to their strong desire for privacy.

“The Indian government has established a protective exclusion zone around the island, preventing outsiders from approaching, although tragic encounters have occurred, such as the deaths of fishermen and a missionary. North Sentinel Island, part of India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory, is approximately 23 square miles and features dense forests and surrounding reefs, leaving it largely inaccessible.”

Back in 2018, an American was killed by the tribe when he attempted to visit them. John Allen Chau, a 27-year-old from Alabama, was a modern-day missionary of sorts, attempting to bring Christianity to the primitive people. And yet, he was warned.

The method of murder? Bow and arrows.

As for Polyakov, he got out alive. But he’s not out of trouble yet.

Caroline Pearce, Director of Survival International, called these actions “reckless and idiotic.” She added in a statement:

“This person’s actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk.

“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.”