An American tourist was in police custody after allegedly trying to access a restricted territory of North Sentinel, trying to meet one of the most isolated tribes in the world.
Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov had with him a coconut and a can of Diet Coke, officials in India said. The remote island is part of the country’s Andaman Islands.
While arrested, he has not yet been charged.
Officials in the U.S. said they were aware of the situation and are monitoring it.
It is forbidden for anyone to travel to where the Sentinelese people live to protect the indigenous people, to protect them from outside disease and to protect their lifestyle. It is unknown how many people are in the community as estimates range from dozens of people to hundreds.
Officials said Polyakov repeatedly blew a whistle off the shore of the island for about an hour on March 29 to get the civilization’s attention before going ashore.
“He landed …