A YouTuber known for high-risk travel content is facing up to five years in prison after allegedly attempting to contact the isolated Sentinelese tribe on North Sentinel Island and leaving a can of Diet Coke during a 2025 visit, according to Indian authorities.
The news came after Indian police confirmed that Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov had travelled to the restricted island in the Andaman Sea, where unauthorised entry is strictly prohibited.
Officials allege he spent months planning the trip before reaching the protected zone, which is off-limits under Indian law designed to safeguard both visitors and the Sentinelese people.
Polyakov's North Sentinel Island Trip
North Sentinel Island is home to one of the world's most isolated Indigenous groups, which has repeatedly rejected outside contact. Indian authorities enforce a strict no-entry policy, classifying the island as a protected tribal reserve where intrusion is illegal.
According to investigators, Polyakov documented his journey and later approached the shoreline, reportedly using a whistle to attract attention before leaving a coconut and a can of Diet Coke. He was detained two days later after returning from the area, with officials citing travel records and video footage as part of the case.
A YouTuber who risked his life to give the North Sentinel Island tribe Diet Coke is facing up to five years in prison
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) April 16, 2026
Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov broke strict laws prohibiting contact with the Sentinelese people pic.twitter.com/vtSI63Q4v9
According to Dexerto, Survival International condemned the attempt. Its director, Caroline Pearce, described it as 'reckless and idiotic,' warning that it placed both the traveller and the Sentinelese community at risk. She said such actions can have consequences far beyond those directly involved, particularly for uncontacted peoples vulnerable to outside disease.
Polyakov has been charged with illegally entering a prohibited tribal reserve. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison, with his next court hearing scheduled for 29 April. The case remains ongoing and has not yet gone to trial.
Previous Attempts to Enter North Sentinel Island
The incident has brought renewed attention to repeated attempts by outsiders to reach the island for attention or content.
In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was killed after entering the territory illegally, an event that reinforced concerns about the dangers of unauthorised contact. Earlier incidents include the deaths of two fishermen in 2006 after they reportedly drifted too close to the island.
Indian authorities instead conduct rare, tightly controlled 'gift-giving' visits, leaving items such as fruit at a distance without direct interaction. Officials say this approach is intended to respect isolation while minimising harm.
Polyakov, who is known for filming content in high-risk regions, including Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, has previously shared travel videos from conflict zones.
India's Efforts to Protect North Sentinel Island
The charges against Polyakov relate to India's strict laws protecting the Sentinelese people of North Sentinel Island, a group classified as 'uncontacted' and legally shielded from outside contact. The case falls under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, which prohibits outsiders from entering or attempting to interact with protected tribal areas without explicit government permission.
In simple terms, the law treats the island as a permanently closed zone. Entry is banned not only to protect the tribe's way of life but also to prevent unintended harm. Officials have long argued that even well-meaning contact can introduce diseases to which the community has no immunity, or provoke violent confrontations that put both sides at risk.
Under the relevant regulations, unauthorised entry into a protected tribal reserve can carry a prison sentence of up to five years, along with fines. Courts also tend to consider whether the accused planned the act, which can influence sentencing severity.
What makes this case more sensitive is the status of the Sentinelese themselves. They are one of the last communities in the world with minimal outside contact, and Indian authorities maintain a policy of near-total isolation.
