A Month Later And Authorities Will Likely Never Retrieve John Allen Chau’s Body From North Sentinel Island

Last month, missionary John Allen Chau decided to visit a remote tribe that has previously been known to be hostile to visitors. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Chau had already visited the location prior to this trip, so he likely knew the risks involved. Since then, it is assumed he has been killed by the tribe after fishermen reported seeing a body on the beach and reporting it to authorities. Now, it seems unlikely the missionary’s body will ever be retrieved.

According to the Jakarta Post, Indian police are still steering clear of the location after an initial tense long-distance standoff between authorities and the inhabitants of the island, known as Sentinelese.

However, they are still trying to interview people involved with John Allen Chau’s arrival on the island. Initially, the fishermen who reported seeing Chau’s body were detained by police and questioned since it is an offense to go within five nautical miles of the island. This ban was placed not only to protect people from the aggressive tribe but to protect the Sentinelese from the potential introduction of diseases that could wipe out their small community.

According to the Jakarta Post, a total of seven people, including six local fishermen, “were arrested for helping Chau travel to the remote island.” They have since been granted bail last week. However, the investigators involved in the case are still seeking to interview two missionaries that spoke to John prior to his trip to the North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal.

One month after an isolated tribe killed an American missionary seeking to convert them, Indian police have still not tried to retrieve the body of John Allen Chau from his remote island grave https://t.co/tjx90nTQn6

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 20, 2018

“We have initiated the process of serving them a notice to be part of [the] investigation,” local police chief Dependra Pathak said.

This notice is being issued to an unnamed American man and woman and will go between the Indian and U.S. governments. The two people will be required to answer questions relating to their knowledge of the incident.

Since Chau went missing, authorities have twice approached the island but are hesitant to set down due to the aggressive nature of the Sentinelese. Anthropologists and activists are urging authorities not to visit the island or to attempt to retrieve Chau’s body.

“We are still awaiting the firm view of the Anthropological Survey of India and field experts,” Pathak said.

“What we have gathered is that going over there is not desirable for their health and psychological well-being.”

According to Yahoo News, it is now believed that John Allen Chau died as a result of a “hail of arrows,” according to the fishermen present at the time.