An American traveler was arrested in India after he snuck onto a highly restricted island with a coconut and a can of Diet Coke to interact with a small indigenous tribe that avoids the trappings of the modern world.

Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, set foot on the restricted territory of North Sentinel Island to interact with members of the Sentinelese tribe, who are believed to number only around 150 people, according to Agence France Presse.

Law-enforcement officials told the news agency that Mr. Polyakov cruised up to the island’s shoreline on Saturday and repeatedly blew a whistle for nearly an hour in an attempt to gain the attention of the tribe members before going ashore where he left the coconut and can of soda on the beach.

“He landed briefly for about five minutes, left the offerings on the shore, collected sand samples, and recorded a video before returning to his boat,” the Andaman and Nicobar Islands police chief, HGS Dhaliwal, said to AFP. “A review of his GoPro camera footage showed his entry and landing into the restricted North Sentinel Island.”

He was arrested two days later and is currently being held for more questioning.

“The American citizen was presented before the local court after his arrest and is now on a three-day remand for further interrogation,” Chief Dhaliwal said.

This incident was the third attempt by Mr. Polyakov to set foot on the remote island. In October 2024 he attempted to use an inflatable raft but was stopped by staff at his hotel. He also made a second unsuccessful attempt in January.

The Sentinelese Tribe is shrouded in mystery with language and customs that are an enigma to outsiders. What little that is known about them is that the tribe shuns all contact and are hostile to anyone who tries to get close.

The tribe last made headlines in 2018 after an American missionary, John Allen Chau, was killed after he stepped foot on the island’s beach.