Who is Ethan Guo? Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old, who is also an American pilot and social media influencer, has been stranded in Antarctica for more than six weeks due to allegedly landing his small plane in Chilean territory without permission.
What exactly happened?
He was on a solo mission to fly across all seven continents and raise $1 million for cancer research. His journey when was interrupted in June as Chilean officials accuse him of filing a false flight plan. They also accused him of breaking national and international rules for entering Antarctica and using approved travel routes.
According to reports, the Chilean prosecuters claimed he gave misleading flight details knowingly. Meanwhile, Guo’s lawyers say he faced unexpected challenges during the flight. After being charged, he was ordered to remain in Chile. Harsh winter weather meant no flights could leave, forcing him to stay at a military base for more than six weeks.
A judge dropped the charges after Guo agreed to donate $30,000 to a children’s cancer foundation within 30 days on August 11. He must also pay for his stay at the military facility, the security of his plane, and his return trip. Once he leaves, he will be banned from re-entering Chile for three years.
Ethan Guo has around 1.4 million Instagram followers. He began flying at the age of 13 and got his private pilot’s licence at 17. He also holds an IFR rating. According to reports,he has logged over 700 flight hours, crossed the Atlantic three times, and visited six continents.
He says on his website, “I want to use every opportunity to raise awareness of childhood cancer and the urgent need for more research.”
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
