An American tourist has been killed by an isolated tribe on an Indian island which is barred to visitors, police officials have confirmed. The man, identified as John Allen Chau, 27, was ferried to North Sentinel Island – one of the islands in India’s remote Andaman and Nicobar chain – by fisherman five days ago. He had reportedly visited the island before and wanted to meet the Sentinelese tribes to preach Christianity.
The fishermen said they saw John Allen being attacked with bows and arrows after he landed on the beach. The tribe then dragged him onto the beach and the fishermen last saw him half-buried in the sand. Contact with the endangered Andaman tribes living in isolation from the world is illegal because of the risks to them from outside disease.
Estimates say the Sentinelese, who are totally cut off from civilisation, the number only between 50 and 150. John hired a fishing dinghy and, aided by the fishermen, reached the vicinity of the island on November 16, before transferring to a canoe. His body spotted the following day by the fishermen on their return, has not yet been retrieved. The fishermen who took him to the island have been arrested.