
Extraordinary aerial shots of an untouched tribe deep in the Amazon jungle have captured the moment an indigenous community saw an aircraft flying over their homes.

The photographs show a tribal community estimated to be home to 100 people in a Brazilian village still untouched by civilisation.

Some of them can be seen wearing little clothing, leaning on sticks and appear to be staring in amazement as the photographer passed overhead.

Extraordinary aerial shots of an untouched tribe have captured the moment an indigenous community sees a camera flying over their homes

Some of them can be seen wearing little clothing, leaning on sticks and appear to be staring in amazement at the photographer overhead

The photographs show an uncontacted tribal community estimated to be home to 100 people in the Amazon

About 22,000 Yanomami live on the Brazilian side of the border, and at least three groups of them have never had any contact with outsiders

The village is in the Yanomami indigenous territory in the north of Brazil, close to the Venezuelan border.

About 22,000 Yanomami live in an area the size of Scotland on the Brazilian side of the border, and at least three groups have never had any contact with outsiders.

They are extremely vulnerable to diseases passed on by outsiders.

When their land is protected, uncontacted tribes can thrive.

But their territory is being over-run by 5,000 illegal gold miners, raising serious fears that some of the most vulnerable people on the planet could soon be wiped out.

The village is in the Yanomami indigenous territory in the north of Brazil, close to the Venezuelan border

Miners have brought diseases like malaria to the region and polluted the Yanomami tribes' food and water sources with mercury, leading to a serious health crisis. Cattle ranchers are also invading the eastern edge of their territory.

Yanomami shaman and activist Davi Kopenawa said: 'The place where the uncontacted Indians live, fish, hunt and plant must be protected.

The (miners) are like termites – they keep coming back and they don't leave us in peace Davi Kopenawa, Yanomami shaman

'The whole world must know that they are there in their forest and that the authorities must respect their right to live there.'

Davi, who is president of the Yanomami association Hutukara, has been called 'the Dalai Lama of the rainforest'.

He said of the miners: 'They are like termites – they keep coming back and they don't leave us in peace.'

Brazilian government agents are charged with protecting the Yanomami territory. But they are currently facing severe budget cuts amid politicians' plans to drastically weaken indigenous land protection and rights.

Without continued support, the team responsible for the Yanomami region will be unable to protect the territory from invaders, and might even be closed down completely.

Survival International, who have been trying to help the Yanomami, say this would leave the uncontacted Yanomami at risk of annihilation.

Another 13,000 Yanomami lived on the Venezuelan side of the border in the Alto Orinoco – Casiquiare Biosphere Reserve, an area roughly the size of Switzerland.

It is not the first time MailOnline has captured the moment an untouched indigenous tribe were faced with cameras.

Back in 2008, an incredible set of pictures emerged of tribesmen hurling spears and firing bow and arrows at an aircraft buzzing overhead.

Their skin was painted bright red, heads partially shaved, arrows drawn back in the longbows and aimed square at the plane.

The gesture was unmistakable - Stay Away.

Behind the two men stood another defiant figure which appeared to be a woman with her skin painted black.

The aggressive tribal community live in the Envira region in the thick rainforest along the Brazilian-Peruvian border.

It's not the first time MailOnline has captured the moment an untouched indigenous tribe were faced with cameras

Back in 2008, an incredible set of pictures emerged of tribesmen hurling spears and firing bow and arrows at an aircraft buzzing overhead

The aggressive tribal community live in the Envira region in the thick rainforest along the Brazilian-Peruvian frontier

Their skin was painted bright red, heads partially shaved, arrows drawn back in the longbows and aimed square at the plane