Pictured: The Tintin ‘danger tourist’ who left Coke can for world’s most isolated tribe

18 hours ago 1

An American “danger tourist” who models himself connected Tintin faces up to 5 years successful situation aft illegally sailing to a distant land and leaving a tin of Coke for the world’s astir unsafe and isolated tribe.

Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, from North Goldwater, Arizona, tried to marque interaction with the reclusive indigenous inhabitants of North Sentinel Island, portion of an Indian archipelago successful the Bay of Bengal, which is disconnected limits to visitors to support the islanders’ mode of life.

Indian constabulary said Mr Polyakov travelled to the land successful the aboriginal hours of Saturday greeting utilizing a makeshift trade to transverse a 25-mile strait from Kurma Dera formation connected South Andaman Island.

“This is it. The past uncontracted tribe. The past mystery. If they spot me, volition they attack? Or volition they judge me?” his Go-Pro camera microphone recorded him whispering arsenic helium approached the forbidden island.

Indian constabulary  said Mr Polyakov utilized  a makeshift trade  to transverse  a 25-mile strait from Kurma Dera formation  connected  South Andaman Island

Indian constabulary said Mr Polyakov crossed a 25-mile strait from Kurma Dera formation connected South Andaman Island

After landing, helium concisely stepped retired of the boat, near a tin of Coca-Cola and a coconut arsenic offerings, collected immoderate soil samples, and past departed.

He returned to Kurma Dera Beach astatine 7pm, wherever fishermen spotted him and alerted the police. He was arrested and remains successful custody.

Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, manager wide of Andaman and Nicobar Police, said.“If recovered guilty, helium whitethorn look 3 to 5 years successful situation for breaching the instrumentality that prohibits unauthorised introduction into the areas inhabited by protected tribes of North Sentinel Island.”

This was not Mr Polyakov’s archetypal effort to scope the Sentinelese, a pre-Neolithic radical who person rebuffed each interaction with the modern world, firing bows and arrows astatine passing helicopters and sidesplitting those landing ashore.

The Sentinelese, a pre-Neolithic people, person  rebuffed each  interaction  with the modern   world

The Sentinelese, a pre-Neolithic people, person rebuffed each interaction with the modern world

In October 2024, helium prepared a reconnaissance ngo utilizing an inflatable kayak but was stopped by edifice unit earlier helium could launch.

In the aforesaid month, helium posted a cryptic representation connected his YouTube transmission captioned “A small Columbus Day teaser for the fans”.

The image, a cartoon successful the benignant of The Adventures of Tintin, showed a lad with a canine aboard a motorboat approaching an land resembling the 1 location to the Sentinelese.

Mr Polyakov’s YouTube channel, called “Neo-Orientalist”, revealed different risky adventures including exploring an abandoned US subject basal successful Afghanistan.

In different video taken during a three-week roadworthy travel successful the Taliban-controlled country, helium is seen brandishing an battle firearm alongside Islamist militants.

In January, helium returned to the Andaman archipelago, staying successful the metropolis of Port Blair portion attempting to procure an outboard centrifugal for a vessel to marque the illicit crossing.

Around this time, helium visited Baratang Island, wherever helium illegally filmed the semi-nomadic Jarawa people earlier departing connected January 27.

In March, helium returned to Port Blair. After fitting the centrifugal to his vessel astatine a workshop, helium purchased substance and checked into the Andaman Sunset View Resort.

Over the pursuing days, helium meticulously studied oversea conditions, tides and landing sites for the journey.

On March 29, helium launched his vessel nether the screen of darkness, carrying the coconut and Coca-Cola tin helium intended to springiness to the island’s inhabitants.

After 9 hours astatine sea, helium reached its northeastern shore. Using binoculars, helium scanned the country but saw nary signs of life.

He past filmed himself wading onto the formation and placing his offerings connected the sand.

Authorities said Mr Polyakov's travel  was meticulously planned

Authorities said Mr Polyakov’s travel was meticulously planned

The video, aboriginal recovered by police, captures him exclaiming: “I person landed here. I americium a solo traveller. No 1 has landed present before. This is anti-climactic. No 1 has done this before.”

He remained offshore for an hr blowing a whistle successful an effort to pull attention, but received nary response. After 3 hours, helium began his instrumentality journey, reaching Kurma Dera formation by 7pm wherever helium was spotted by fishermen.

Authorities said helium utilized GPS to navigate seas astir the island, they said.

After his apprehension connected March 31, authorities confiscated Mr Polyakov’s passport, mobile telephone and Go-Pro camera.

“The unauthorised introduction into the North Sentinel Island is not conscionable a breach of Indian law, but a superior menace to the information of the some Sentinelese and the individuals involved,” Mr Dhaliwal said.

“Any unlawful effort to participate restricted tribal areas volition beryllium met with strict ineligible consequences,” helium added.

Mr Polyakov told constabulary that helium was drawn to the land owed to his passionateness for escapade and his tendency to undertake utmost challenges, arsenic good arsenic by the allure of the mysterious Sentinelese.

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