John Allen Chau

John Allen Chau (December 18, 1991 – November 17, 2018) was an American evangelical Christian who was killed by the Sentinelese, a tribe in voluntary isolation, after illegally traveling to North Sentinel Island in an attempt to convert them to Christianity.

Born in Scottsboro, Alabama, Chau became interested in converting the Sentinelese while in high school, inspired by the work of other pioneer missionaries. In preparation, he participated in missionary trips to Mexico, Israel, Kurdistan, and the Andaman Islands. He also underwent "boot camp"–style training conducted by the evangelical organization All Nations, which included mock scenarios coordinated by missionary staff who pretended to be hostile tribespeople. Before departing, Chau was vaccinated and quarantined, and brought with him a survival kit including picture cards and gifts for the Sentinelese. Upon arriving, Chau attempted to land on the island three times to no success. During his final attempt, he was fatally struck by an arrow of the Sentinelese, who buried his body on the shore.

The incident drew international attention and mostly negative reception. While some groups including All Nations described Chau as a martyr, others such as Survival International criticized his visits for the risks they posed to both parties, particularly the potential transfer of deadly pathogens to the Sentinelese. The ethics behind Chau's visits have been studied at multiple universities, and two films have been made covering his life.