By Joe Mastroianni, National Science Foundation - Wikipedia
A 19-year-old American pilot attempting to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents has been detained on an island in Antarctica, causing a significant disruption in his widely followed aviation journey, which has garnered the attention of over a million online followers.
Ethan Guo was stopped by Chilean authorities after allegedly submitting a false flight plan, according to CBS News, the US partner of the BBC. The discrepancy between his submitted route and his actual flight path reportedly triggered aviation alert protocols, according to a statement released by Chile’s General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC).
Guo was detained upon landing at Teniente R. Marsh Airport on King George Island — a remote location housing several international scientific research stations, where average July temperatures remain well below freezing.
The young aviator had taken off in his Cessna 182 from Punta Arenas, a city located near the southern tip of Chile. Although he submitted a flight plan that only covered local airspace around Punta Arenas, prosecutors say he instead continued south to King George Island, which lies off the Atlantic coast and is claimed by Chile. The island is named after British monarch King George III.
Regional prosecutor Cristian Cristoso Rifo, as cited by CBS, confirmed that Guo is being charged with violating two provisions of Chile’s aeronautical code — one of which carries the possibility of a short prison sentence. Additionally, officials claim he may have breached the Antarctic Treaty, an international agreement that governs activities and territorial claims on the continent.
Chile’s DGAC emphasized in its statement that the incident constitutes a serious violation of air safety and international protocols concerning Antarctica.
Despite the legal trouble, Guo posted an update on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, assuring his followers, “I’m alive everyone, I’ll make an update soon.”
Ethan Guo’s ambitious mission, spanning more than 140 days, has already seen him pilot his small aircraft across six continents. His goal is to be the first to complete solo flights to all seven continents in a Cessna 182 while simultaneously raising $1 million (£731,000) for cancer research through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
