In 2018, John Allen Chau was mysteriously found dead while he attempted to contact the North Sentinel tribes.
North Sentinel tribes are less connected to outsiders and even outsiders need to get government permission to enter the island. This is due to protecting the remaining tribal community on the island.
The tribes have been living on the same island for decades even after many tribes were endangered in nearby islands. This island is part of the Andaman & and Nicobar Islands string that is 50 km to the west of Port Blair.
However, John tried contacting them in secret when he arrived in India. He hired a fisherman with Rs 25,000 on 14th November 2018 to take him close to the island.
On 15th November he took Foldable Kayak to reach the restricted island and came back due to attack from tribes. He was staying on a nearby island at night.
He wrote a letter that was meant for their parents which stated “spreading Christianity was worthwhile and he might die after contacting the tribes”. Though he knew the risk he tried to contact the tribes, and that became true as he wrote.
He wrote about his experiences in his book such as
1. Facing the arrows
2. The bible was stuck with an arrow which came from the bow of a 10-year-old kid.
3. They didn’t agree on his fish which he threw for them.
4. Drove the boat like never before in his life due to attack.
5. Finally he wrote “Well, I have been shot by the Sentinelese”
A fisherman on the boat saw the tribes dragging John’s dead body for burial from a far point in the sea on 17th November.
Fishermen informed the authorities however they were unable to bring back the dead body from the tribal island. It is still a mystery about what happened to him on 16th November at the tribal island.
The government made efforts through boats and helicopters but nothing worked out. Before arriving in India he said to his friend he was going to spread Christianity as he was influenced by Christian Faith Program in 2015.
The program takes students to Israel to fill them with faith in Christianity. He was carrying a bible with him which was hit by an arrow when he tried to make contact for the first time. Along with bible he took fishes and football to gift them.
He previously visited India in 2015 and 2016 as part of his missionary trips by which he might known about the restricted North Sentinel island.
