YouTube daredevil arrested by Indian authorities after visiting distant island the place US missionary was killed

[ad_1] A daredevil YouTube influencer has been arrested after visiting a remote Indian island, the place he tried to make unlawful contact with indigenous individuals, in accordance with world studies.

Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, of Arizona, allegedly traveled to the restricted North Sentinel Island, the place he tried to supply a coconut and might of Eating regimen Coke as "choices for the Sentinelese," The Andaman Chronicle and The Washington Post reported, citing native police.

Police in Andaman and Nicobar Islands reportedly mentioned he visited the area due to "his ardour for journey and his want to undertake excessive challenges," police mentioned. It was apparently his third time making an attempt to make the journey, in accordance with The Publish.

Polyakov was additionally apparently carrying a GoPro transportable digicam, displaying him coming into the island's shore "claiming unofficial illustration of the U.S.," police mentioned in an announcement.

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<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/04/1200/675/gettyimages-2155696253-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Maxar closeup satellite imagery of North Sentinel Island, which is one of the Andaman Islands, an Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. The island is a protected area of India. It is home to the Sentinelese, an indigenous tribe in voluntary isolation. " width="1200" height="675"/> Satellite tv for pc imagery of North Sentinel Island, which is likely one of the Andaman Islands, an Indian archipelago within the Bay of Bengal. The island is a protected space of India that's house to the Sentinelese, an indigenous tribe in voluntary isolation. (Satellite tv for pc picture (c) 2024 Maxar Applied sciences.)

He stayed on the island for about 5 minutes, gathering samples and recording video footage, however reportedly didn't make contact with any indigenous individuals. He then remained offshore in a ship for about an hour earlier than native fisherman noticed him and contacted authorities, The Publish and the Chronicle reported.

Polyakov, who goes by Neo-Orientalist on YouTube, has a six-part video collection displaying his travels by way of "Taliban-controlled Afghanistan."

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Contact with the Sentinelese individuals is strictly prohibited on account of their protected indigenous lifestyle, the Chronicle reported.

The Jarawas, a tribe of small negroids genetically just like the South African bushmen, dwell on the Andaman Islands, an archipelago stretching between Burma and Indonesia in the course of the Bay of Bengal (Indian Ocean). (Thierry Falise/LightRocket )

"We're getting extra particulars about him and his intention to go to the reserved tribal space. We're additionally looking for the place else he had visited throughout his keep within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. We're questioning the resort workers the place he was staying in Port Blair," Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, director basic of police of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, mentioned in an announcement to the Chronicle.

Caroline Pearce, director of Survival Worldwide, a nonprofit searching for to assist indigenous and tribal societies all over the world, known as Polyakov's actions "deeply disturbing" and famous the loss of life of an American missionary who tried to make contact with individuals on the island in 2018.

Contact with the Sentinelese individuals is strictly prohibited on account of their protected indigenous lifestyle, The Andaman Chronicle reported. (Ed Reeve/View Footage/Common Pictures Group)

"The Sentinelese have made their want to keep away from outsiders extremely clear over time – I’m certain many keep in mind the 2018 incident by which an American missionary, John Allen Chau, was killed by them after touchdown on their island to attempt to convert them to Christianity," Pearce mentioned in an announcement. "It’s excellent news that the person on this newest incident has been arrested, however deeply disturbing that he was reportedly capable of get onto the island within the first place"

Pearce added that uncontacted indigenous peoples throughout the globe "are experiencing the invasion of their lands on a surprising scale."

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"Numerous uncontacted peoples within the Amazon are being invaded by loggers and gold-miners. The uncontacted Shompen of Nice Nicobar Island, not removed from North Sentinel, will probably be worn out if India goes forward with its plan to remodel their island into ‘the Hong Kong of India,’" Pearce continued. "The frequent consider all these instances is governments’ refusal to abide by worldwide legislation and acknowledge and defend uncontacted peoples’ territories."

Polyakov is at the moment in judicial custody and has a listening to scheduled for April 17, The Publish reported.

Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox Information Digital and FOX Enterprise. Electronic mail tricks to audrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants.