He lost his mind, definitely: John Chau's friends recall his year long research on Andaman tribe

A 27-year-old John Allen Chau was killed by endangered Sentinelese tribe after he trespassed on ir island in Andaman.  death of American missionary, who broke laws and very well knew danger of doing so, has sparked international outr, a heated debate about protection of tribal communities. His missionary group recalled preprations Chau undertook before leaving for Indian island. 

Chau spent years planning and training to travel to remote rth Sentinel Island on a mission to convert its residents to Christianity, including learning emergency medicine, and studying linguistics and cultural anthropology.

Re: Mhumala Chattophyay: Indian Woman Who Established First Friendly Contact With Sentinelese Tribe

Chau’s friends from islands are still grieving and mystified by whole episode.

A friend, Seij recalled that Chau seemed intently interested in rth Sentinelese tribe, where tribes lived in stone protected by a three-mile, exclusion zone imposed by Indian government. tribe has long resisted outside human contact.

“He shared a keen interest in researching and kwing more about m,” Seij told a foreign publication. “It must have struck a chord.”

“He lost his mind, definitely,” Seij said. “But ask any venturer. You have to lose your mind a little bit, orwise you don’t do it.”

Ar friend, John Middleton Ramsey, recalled that in 2016 Chau stayed with him in Bellingham and that island in Andaman Sea was much on his mind. 

“He knew of dangers of this place,” Ramsey recalled. “He didn’t want any hearts to get broken should something go wrong. He was very much aware of what he was doing. He also knew it wasn’t exactly legal.”

Chau n joined forces with All Nations, a missionary group based in Kansas City, Mo., that sends Christian missionaries to 40 countries. group provided him training and support, according to Mary Ho, its international executive leer.

“You could see that every decision he has me, every step he has taken since n was driven by his desire to be among rth Sentinelese people,” Ho said. He planned to live re for years and hoped to learn ir langu.

Re: Conservationists Request Authorities To Call Off Search For John Chau's Mortal Remains In Andaman

Earlier, Conservationists h requested authorities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to call off search for Chau's mortal remains. A group of experts including anthropologist and researchers who have been studying Sentinelese tribe expressed concern that search teams going to island in south Andaman may escalate tension.

" media has reported nervous stand-offs between teams seeking to land on rth Sentinel to get body and members of Sentinelese community who clearly find se incursions unwelcome," team of experts said in a statement. "Continuing with efforts could well le to furr violence and completely unwarranted loss of life," said statement whose signatories include anthropologist and authors Pankaj Sekhsaria, Visvajit Pandya, Manish Chandi, Mhusree Mukherjee and Sita Venkateswar.

Indian officials have traveled repeatedly in recent days near remote island where an American missionary was killed by people who have long resisted outside world. But y have t set foot onto rth Sentinel Island since incident.

Re: Police Returns 400 Metre From Shore After Spoting Andaman Tribe Armed With Bows And Arrows

Earlier, Indian officers h a long-distance face-off with tribe in ir latest bid to locate body of 27-year-old John Allen Chau on  remote island of Andaman and Nicobar, police said on Sunday.

police team, who took a boat just off Indian-owned rth Sentinel island on Saturday, spotted men from Sentinelese tribe on beach where John Allen Chau was last seen, region's police chief Dependra Pathak h informed.

Using biculars, officers -- in a police boat about 400 metres from shore -- saw men armed with bows and arrows, weapons reportedly used by isolated tribe.