Charges Dropped for Teen Pilot Stranded in Antarctica

A judge has cleared the way for his continued journey to raise funds for childhood cancer research following a high-profile detention.

Charges against Ethan Guo, a teenage pilot and American influencer, have been dismissed after he was detained in Antarctica for nearly four months. Guo, who is just 19, had embarked on a solo mission to fly to all seven continents to raise money for childhood cancer research when he landed on King George island, which is claimed by Chile. Chilean authorities accused him of illegally entering the region and providing false flight plan details, which led to his investigation and detention.

Despite the legal challenges, a judge has ordered the charges be dropped, allowing Guo to resume his mission. He has been informed that he must make a $30,000 donation to a children’s cancer foundation and is prohibited from re-entering Chilean territory for three years. After landing his Cessna 182Q in June, he was taken into custody because his flight plan did not authorize such a landing.

“I remain in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight,” Guo stated after the judge’s decision on Monday, expressing eagerness to continue his journey. He had been staying at a military base on King George island for over six weeks, with freezing weather halting any departure from the island.

Guo has managed to fly for a total of 140 days on this endeavor. He aims to become the youngest pilot to complete solo flights across all seven continents, motivated by his cousin’s battle with cancer. He is working towards raising $1 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, as part of his mission to support childhood cancer research initiatives.