A US citizen has been arrested for attempting to illegally enter the highly restricted North Sentinel Island, a tribal reserve home to one of the most isolated and vulnerable tribes in the world. The man, identified as Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, was taken into custody by the Crime Investigation Department (CID).
Polyakov, who arrived in Port Blair on March 26, allegedly launched a solo expedition to the island, despite the stringent prohibition on outsiders visiting North Sentinel Island.
Police reports indicate that he ventured to the island from the Kurma Dera Beach, departing around 1 am on March 29. Carrying a coconut and a can of cola as “offerings for the Sentinelese,” Polyakov reached the northeastern shore of North Sentinel Island by 10 am, using binoculars to survey the area.
According to authorities, after spending an hour offshore and attempting to attract attention by blowing a whistle, Polyakov briefly landed on the island for approximately five minutes. During his brief stay, he left his offerings on the shore, collected sand samples, and recorded a video before retreating back to his boat. He returned to Kurma Dera Beach by 7 pm, where local fishermen spotted him and alerted the authorities.
Police officials are still working to determine the full scope of Polyakov’s plans and actions during his time on the islands. Director General of Police (DGP) HS Dhaliwal told PTI, “We are gathering further information about his intentions and the other locations he may have visited during his stay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. We are also questioning hotel staff in Port Blair regarding his activities.”
Further investigation revealed that Polyakov had carefully planned his voyage. He had reportedly researched sea conditions, tides, and accessibility from the Kurma Dera Beach, using GPS navigation throughout the journey. Among the items seized from him were an inflatable boat and an outboard motor (OBM) that he had assembled at a local workshop.
In addition to the inflatable boat, Polyakov was found to be in possession of a GoPro camera, and footage recovered from the device shows him landing on North Sentinel Island.
Authorities also discovered that this was not his first attempt to reach the island. During a visit in October 2024, Polyakov attempted reconnaissance using an inflatable kayak, but he was stopped by hotel staff. He returned in January 2025, attempting to procure a motor for his boat and illegally filming members of the Jarawa tribe, another indigenous group in the region, during his visit to the Baratang Islands.
An FIR (First Information Report) has been filed against Polyakov under the Foreigners Act of 1946, along with violations of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Amendment Regulation, 2012.
The complaint was lodged by the Tribal Welfare Officer of Tirur, Pronab Sircar, at the Ograbraj police station. In accordance with protocol, information about the arrest has been communicated to the Home Department for further notification to the Ministry of External Affairs and the US Embassy.
