American Teen Pilot Detained in Antarctica During Ambitious Journey

Ethan Guo, who aims to fly to all seven continents for charity, has been detained in Antarctica after Chilean authorities found discrepancies in his flight plan, potentially jeopardizing his mission and raising concerns over Antarctic regulations.

An adventurous attempt by 19-year-old American pilot Ethan Guo to fly solo to every continent has hit a roadblock following his detention on King George Island in Antarctica. Guo, who has been documenting his journey online for an audience of over a million, is accused of submitting a false flight plan, which led to him being stopped by Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics.

Chilean authorities intercepted Guo after he deviated from his submitted plan, which only anticipated a flight over Punta Arenas in southern Chile. Instead, he continued beyond that, triggering alert protocols in the air traffic control system. He landed at Teniente R. Marsh airport, a site known for housing various international research stations.

After his arrival, Guo faced charges under two articles of Chile’s aeronautical code, one of which involves potential short-term imprisonment for violations. Furthermore, the authorities emphasized that Guo allegedly breached the Antarctic Treaty, which governs international relations regarding the continent.

Following his detention, Guo reassured his followers through a post on social media platform X, saying, “I’m alive everyone, I’ll make an update soon.” Before his expedition to Antarctica, Guo had successfully flown to the remaining six continents over a span of 140 days. His ultimate goal is to become the first pilot to complete solo flights across all seven continents in a Cessna 182 aircraft while also fundraising $1 million for cancer research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.