The dangerous stunt of an American youtuber: visiting the isolated Sentinelese tribe

An American YouTuber, known for his dangerous travel videos, has attempted something that is not only illegal but also extremely risky: he has attempted to meet a tribe that has lived without contact with the modern world for thousands of years.

Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov is not exactly a genius. In an attempt to boost views on his YouTube channel, this time, he did not take a selfie on the edge of a cliff (although he may have done that in the past, considering his channel focuses on extreme travel), nor did he gorge himself on vast amounts of food in an improbable challenge.

Instead, he took a much more reckless approach: the 24-year-old American YouTuber decided to visit North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal, bringing a Diet Coke and a coconut as gifts for the indigenous tribe known as the Sentinelese. This tribe is one of the last groups in the world to remain completely untouched by modern civilization, living in total isolation and refusing any contact with the outside world.

This reckless decision ultimately led to his arrest.

The reckless visit

According to Indian authorities, after staying in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Polyakov set sail on March 29th for North Sentinel Island, which is about 25 miles away. Upon arriving on the island, the so-called genius placed a can of Diet Coke and a coconut on the beach—“gifts,” in his view—that he wanted to capture on his GoPro, and even blew a whistle to draw attention to himself.

Several fishermen spotted him and immediately alerted the police, who rushed to arrest him.

Why is this such a big problem?

North Sentinel Island is home to the Sentinelese, a tribe believed to have between 100 and 300 members. They live in complete isolation and are known for fiercely resisting any contact with outsiders.

The island has been a protected tribal reserve since 1956, and the Indian government has made it illegal to approach within three nautical miles of the island.

Health experts have stated that the tribe has no immunity to modern diseases. Even something as simple as a cold could be deadly for them. That’s why visits like these are so dangerous—not only for the person entering the island but for the entire tribe.

“It’s incredible that someone could be so reckless and foolish. This person’s actions not only put his life at risk but also endangered the entire Sentinelese tribe,” said Carolina Pearce of Survival International.

Polyakov was arrested on Sunday and taken to court. He is currently in police custody for questioning.