A YouTuber who attempted to give an isolated tribe a can of Diet Coke has been denied bail and faces a five-year prison sentence.
A YouTuber named Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov has recently made headlines for his illegal visit to North Sentinel Island.
The island is home to a protected tribe known as the Sentinelese.
This incident raised serious concerns about the safety of both the tribe and the YouTuber himself.
North Sentinel Island is strictly off-limits.
North Sentinel Island is part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. It is known for its isolation and the tribe that lives there, the Sentinelese.
The Indian government has declared the island off-limits to outsiders since 1997.
The goal is to protect the tribe from outside diseases and to preserve their way of life.
In 2018, the rules were slightly relaxed to allow researchers with special permission to visit. However, the general public is still not allowed.
There have been tragic incidents in the past, including the deaths of two fishermen in 2006 and an American missionary named John Allen Chau in 2018.
These events highlight the dangers of trying to make contact with the Sentinelese.
The YouTuber gave an isolated tribe a can of Diet Coke
Despite the clear restrictions, Polyakov attempted to visit the island on March 29, 2025.
He reportedly spent nine hours on a rubber dinghy to reach the island.
While he did not make direct contact with the tribe, he left items for them, including a coconut and a can of Diet Coke.
He also filmed his experience with a GoPro camera. His actions were not only illegal but also reckless.
The Sentinelese are known to be hostile toward outsiders. This hostility is a protective measure for their community, which has little to no immunity to common diseases.
The introduction of such illnesses could be catastrophic for them.
Court denies YouTuber’s bail application as he could face prison sentence
After his attempt to visit the island, Polyakov was arrested on March 31, 2025.
A court in Port Blair denied his bail application, extending his custody.
He is charged with entering a prohibited area under the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation of 1956. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
Police officer Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal stated that Polyakov meticulously planned his trip.
He studied sea conditions and accessibility before making the dangerous journey.
“He planned meticulously over several days to visit the island and make contact with the tribe.”
“His actions posed a serious threat to the safety and wellbeing of the Sentinelese people, whose contact with outsiders is strictly prohibited by the law to protect their indigenous way of life.”
The incident has shocked many people, including experts on indigenous rights.
Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, called Polyakov’s actions deeply disturbing.
“It beggars belief that someone could be that reckless and idiotic. This person’s actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk.
“It is very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out.”
Social media reactions
One user said: People need to stop bothering tribes. Leave them be.
The second user added: Imagine your first taste of coca cola being diet, string him up.
The third user wrote: 5 years in prison for sneaking on a prohibited island for almost 70 years is slight work.
He also recorded the whole encounter but most likely didn’t see anyone they probably would have killed him.
The fourth user commented: I think he should be left for the tribe to decide.
A simple cold could do much damage to these people. But there will always be idiots who think they know better. Particularly if it could gain them fame.
Another user said: Dude-bro knew exactly what he was doing.
Someone wrote: I can definitely see how 1 single can of coke can kill an entire tribe …. shits nasty