Pilot detained after unauthorized flight to Antarctica during charity challenge

by

The pilot, Ethan Guo, is currently being held in Antarctica after embarking on a charitable endeavor that went viral, where he aimed to travel alone to all seven continents.

For approximately six months, Ethan Guo, aged 19, has been solo-traveling around the world in a Cesena C182 airplane, making stops on each continent. He is recording his adventure on TikTok and Instagram while aiming to collect $1 million for cancer charities.

Over the past period, the young man’s videos have gained quite a lot of popularity, notably since he has traveled to various locations around the world independently.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ethan Guo (@ethanguo.rtw)

Ethan Guo detained during viral charity challenge to fly 7 continents solo

Guo had been regularly posting videos up until the end of June, culminating with one upon his arrival in the Philippines. Yet, since then, Guo was apprehended by Chilean authorities due to an illegal landing in the Chilean Antarctic region.

According to Chilean news outlets, the pilot was arrested on June 28 following his statement that he intended to depart from Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas for a flight above the city.

In my enthusiastic perspective as a fan, I can’t help but express my amazement at the daring action taken by this adventurer. Instead of following the flight plan, he boldly navigated towards Antarctica and touched down at Teniente Marsh Airfield in the Chilean Antarctic territory. His reckless behavior potentially put the safety of Antarctic air traffic and the Magallanes Region at risk, which is why he was brought to court. As stated by prosecutor Cristián Crisosto, “This conduct posed a serious threat to the safety of air traffic heading to Antarctica and the Magallanes Region, hence the charges against him.

According to La Tercera, Guo undergoes regular monthly meetings with officials, and is allowed to depart Antarctica for Punta Arenas if the weather conditions are favorable.

19-year-old Ethan Guo was apprehended in Chile following his modification of the flight plan and his single, unsanctioned journey to Antarctica. His aim is to circumnavigate the globe, flying over all seven continents with the goal of amassing a million dollars for cancer research.

— TopMob (@TopMob) July 2, 2025

Instead, he has been instructed to stay within the Magallanes Region, where a hearing scheduled for July 11 will decide the final result of his case.

It’s unclear what penalties Guo might incur. In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the power to levy fines of up to $100,000 on pilots for breaches of the Aeronautical Code, and can also revoke their permits.

Read More

2025-07-02 16:49