'60,000 years untouched': The island in India where aliens are safer than humans
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Deadly Paradise
North Sentinel Island, a remote Andaman outpost, is surrounded by an exclusion zone and home to the Sentinelese tribe, known for fiercely repelling outsiders with bows and arrows.
Uncontacted People
The Sentinelese, isolated for up to 60,000 years, remain untouched by modern society. Their culture and language are mysteries, and even small illnesses could devastate them.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Fatal Encounters
From British intrusions in the 1800s to the 2018 killing of missionary John Allen Chau, outsiders’ attempts to visit the island have often ended in death.
Strict Protection
To safeguard both the Sentinelese and visitors, Indian authorities enforce a strict 5-nautical-mile exclusion zone around the island, with trespassers facing legal consequences.
Hostile History
The tribe’s hostility is rooted in trauma. A 19th-century British officer abducted and exposed them to disease, causing deaths and likely fostering deep distrust of outsiders.
No Immunity
The Sentinelese lack immunity to common illnesses. Even a simple cold brought by visitors could wipe out the entire population, making contact extremely dangerous.
Gift Attempts
Anthropologist Trinok Nath Pandit’s team offered coconuts and pots in the 1960s–1990s, building trust but failing to communicate. Visits were halted to preserve their isolation.
Tragic Incidents
The tribe killed two fishermen in 2006 when their boat drifted ashore and showed similar aggression when an Indian Coast Guard helicopter flew over after the 2004 tsunami.
Leave Them
Survival International emphasizes that the Sentinelese must be left undisturbed. Forcing contact endangers their safety, culture, and fragile ecosystem.