American teen pilot Ethan Guo has recently had charges against him dropped after an extensive legal ordeal in Antarctica. The 19-year-old, who aimed to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents while raising money for cancer research, was accused of illegally landing his aircraft in Chilean territory on King George Island.
Local authorities apprehended Mr. Guo, claiming he submitted false flight information prior to his landing last June. Originally from the city of Punta Arenas, Mr. Guo was on a mission to generate funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee, inspired by his cousin's battle with cancer. He successfully completed flights across six continents before the incident.
After facing charges of unauthorized landing and providing misleading information to ground control, a judge ultimately dismissed the accusations. However, in tandem with the dropped charges, Mr. Guo is required to donate $30,000 (£22,332) to a children's cancer charity and is barred from re-entering Chilean territory for the next three years.
"I remain in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight," Mr. Guo told the Associated Press (AP) following the judge’s decision. He expressed his hope for a swift resolution to continue his mission of raising $1 million for cancer research.
For the past six weeks, Mr. Guo has been lodged at a military base on the island. Although he has been permitted to travel to other locations in Chile, the ongoing frigid weather conditions have hampered his ability to leave. During his journey, he accumulated a total of 140 days in the air, charting a path across vast and challenging terrains, driven by his passion for aviation and philanthropy.
