Unlawful Antarctic landing by US teen pilot influencer settled, enabling departure from Chilean jurisdiction.
In mid-August 2025, Ethan Guo, an American teen pilot and social media influencer, finds himself stranded on King George Island in Antarctica. Weeks have passed since he landed there unauthorisedly.
Guo took off from Carlos Ibañez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas, Chile, aboard a Cessna 182Q aircraft, registered as N182WT. However, his journey has taken an unexpected turn as he is accused of landing on Antarctica without permission.
The landing site is a part of Antarctica where Chile maintains a territorial claim. Guo is also accused of providing false information to ground control about his landing point. These allegations led to charges against him, but these were dropped after he agreed to donate $30,000 to a children's cancer charity and leave Chilean territory as soon as possible.
Despite the dropped charges, Chilean authorities have not approved his request to fly his plane off Antarctica. Guo insists on flying his plane out rather than leaving it behind, but Chilean authorities consider it almost impossible to grant such permission and suggest the plane be dismantled and shipped instead.
Guo's lawyer, Karina Ulloa, stated that he experienced complications while flying, but the specific complications have not been disclosed. Ethan Guo's website states his intention to donate funds raised from his journey to cancer research, in an attempt to raise $1 million for the cause.
Ethan Guo has been broadcasting his continent-hopping journey on Instagram since last September, reaching over a million followers. He was attempting to become the first person to fly to all seven continents solo, raising funds for cancer research.
The suspension of proceedings against Ethan Guo is conditioned on him donating the agreed amount to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days. However, Guo must also leave the country and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years.
Despite the challenges, Ethan Guo continues to work with his lawyer to find a way to resume his original mission. His story serves as a reminder of the spirit of adventure and the importance of supporting charitable causes.
