NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
New York, NY, April 4, 2025: A 24-year-old American national, Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, was arrested last week for illegally setting foot on the highly restricted North Sentinel Island in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The island is home to the Sentinelese, an uncontacted tribe believed to number around 150, whose isolation is protected by Indian law.
Polyakov, a thrill-seeking YouTuber known for his controversial travel exploits, reached the island on March 29 after a nine-hour solo journey by inflatable dinghy from South Sentinel Island. According to authorities, he approached the shore, left behind a can of Diet Coke and a coconut as offerings, and attempted to attract the attention of the tribe by blowing a whistle. He briefly landed on the island, collected sand samples, and recorded a video before departing.
The incident came to light after local fishermen reported suspicious activity near the restricted area. Police arrested Polyakov on March 31. A GoPro camera recovered from his possession reportedly contained footage confirming his illegal landing.
Polyakov had previously drawn scrutiny for filming the Jarawa tribe, another protected indigenous group in the region. Officials said he had made prior reconnaissance trips to North Sentinel Island in October 2024 and January 2025.
The American now faces serious charges under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Amendment Regulation, 2012. If convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison.
The Sentinelese are one of the world’s last uncontacted peoples and are fiercely protective of their isolation. In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was killed by the tribe during a similar unauthorized attempt to make contact.
Experts and indigenous rights groups have condemned Polyakov’s actions as reckless and dangerous. “Contact with outsiders poses a deadly threat to the tribe,” said one official, “not only due to potential cultural disruptions, but also because the Sentinelese have no immunity to common diseases.”
The Indian government maintains a strict “no contact” policy to protect the Sentinelese, prohibiting all travel within a three-nautical-mile radius of the island.
Polyakov is currently in police custody in Port Blair, and investigations are ongoing.
Cover image featuring the mugshot of Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, set against a Sentinelese-background created using Canva.
