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A young American missionary was reportedly killed by a tribe after trying to preach them on an isolated Indian island.
On November 15, the authorities estimate that John Allen Chau, 27, went to North Sentinel Island, a protected island in the hope of converting the inhabitants to Christianity.
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The Island of the Sentinels of the North is inhabited by the Sentinel tribe, a group of people with very little contact with the outside world, reports News 18.
The North Sentinel Island is about the size of Manhattan, but those who live there are fiercely protecting themselves if someone or something tries to approach their village, according to Survival International. Reports on their numbers vary from as little as 15 to over 100.
The group first attracted national attention in 2004 when authorities flew to the island after the tsunami in Asia. A member of the tribe was photographed shooting arrows at the helicopter.
While India banned people from interfering in the native tribe whose number would be in serious decline, Chau reportedly paid a group of local fishermen to take her to the island, which is also part of the Andaman Islands, India today reported.
John Chau
John Chau / Instagram
North Sentinel Island
Christian Caron
The fisherman brought Chau as close as possible to the island and Chau went to shore using a canoe, reports CNN.
After arriving on the isolated territory, the fisherman claims to have seen Chau being attacked with arrows. Chau quickly escaped, but would have returned the next day, November 16.
This time, according to CNN, the Sentinel people broke Chau's canoe and a local fisherman saw the tribes dragging his body.
To date, Indian police have not confirmed whether Chau was dead or not, but thinks he's doing it and is doing his best to recover his body, reported CNN.
However, since the Sentinels are threatened by external contacts, it is very difficult to find the remains of Chau.
John Chau
John Chau / Instagram
"We have a team in the waters for recognition and to develop a recovery strategy for his body. The team is made up of coast guards, tribal welfare officials, forest service officials and police officials, "CNN police said.
CNN also announced that the fisherman who had helped Chau to visit the island had been arrested because India had passed laws banning residents from traveling near the island to protect health and lifestyle. of the tribe, as well as to protect strangers from possible violent incidents.
Dependra Pathak, chief executive officer of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, told CNN, while Chau entered the country on a tourist visa, he was clearly a missionary.
"We refuse to call it tourist. Yes, he came with a tourist visa but he came for a specific purpose to preach on a forbidden island, "said Pathak.
Chau's family has since issued a statement about Chau's death on his Instagram page.
John Chau
John Chau / Instagram
"We recently learned from an unconfirmed report that John Allen Chau was reportedly killed in India while he was looking for members of the Sentinel tribe in the Andaman Islands. The words can not express the sadness that we have felt about this report, "reads the statement.
"He was a beloved son, a brother, an uncle and a best friend for us. For others, he was a Christian missionary, a nature EMT, an international football coach, and a mountaineer. "
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"He loved God, life, helped those in need, and had only love for the sentinel people. We forgive those who are responsible for his death. We are also asking for the release of his friends from the Andaman Islands. He ventured of his own accord and his local contacts do not need to be persecuted for his own actions. "
"As a family, we ask for your understanding and respect for him and us during this time," the statement said.
Chau's family did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request to comment further.
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