Nov. 21 (UPI) — A Christian missionary from the United States was killed by an isolated tribe in the Andaman islands off the coast of India, authorities said Wednesday.
John Allen Chau had hired a fishing crew on one of the islands, where he was performing missionary work. Officials said he ignored multiple warnings that the Sentinelese tribe there resists outsiders.
He had hoped to convert the tribe to Christianity, The New York Times reported.
Indian authorities say Chau was shot with arrows by the tribesmen as he reached shore, and his body is still on the island. The hired fishermen, who were arrested, said they saw tribesmen dragging his body on the beach.
Authorities are trying to recover the body, but it’s unclear exactly where it is. The islands are off limits because the dozens of inhabitants there are not resistant to diseases, officials said.
Andaman Police Chief Dependra Pathak called Chau’s visit a “misplaced adventure,” and said the American “certainly knew it was off limits.” The fishermen left at night so they wouldn’t be detected by authorities but Chau came ashore at dawn.
Police say Chau, from Alabama, left behind a note saying God had given him the strength to go the most forbidden places on Earth. The Andaman and Nicobar island chains have more than 500 islands.
Stephen Corry, director of tribal protection group Survival International, said being alone is very important to the Sentinelese and the Indian government must protect them from “invaders.”
“This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen,” Corry said.
