What happens when a YouTuber’s thirst for adventure collides with one of the world’s most fiercely protected tribes?
You get Mykhailo Polyakov—an American tourist, self-proclaimed thrill-seeker, and the latest cautionary tale in the age of social media stunts.
Polyakov, 24, was arrested after sneaking onto North Sentinel Island, a restricted area off India’s coast, where the Sentinelese people have lived in complete isolation for centuries.
These aren’t just reclusive folks—they’re a tribe so cut off that even the flu could devastate them.
Visiting is illegal. Contact is dangerous. And yet, here we are.
Armed with an inflatable boat, a camera, and allegedly a Coke and a coconut as offerings, Polyakov briefly landed on the island, filmed himself, and blew a whistle in hopes of an audience.
What Could Go Wrong?
“A reckless, idiotic act,” said Caroline Pearce of Survival International.
“He endangered not just himself but an entire community.”
Police say he’d been scouting the region for months. His GoPro footage confirms the landing.
Experts are sounding the alarm about influencers chasing likes at any cost.
“Social media is fueling this bizarre obsession,” said Survival International’s Jonathan Mazower.
The Sentinelese want to be left alone.
Maybe, just maybe, we should listen—before curiosity kills again.
