American teen pilot detained on small island in Antarctica
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
American Teen Pilot Detained on Remote Antarctic Island Sparks Global Outrage and Concern
American teenager Ethan Guo, 19, was detained in Antarctica for submitting a false flight plan while attempting to fly to all continents. His deviation activated alert protocols, leading to his detention on King George Island, home to several international research stations. Guo has successfully flown to six continents prior to this incident. He aims to become the first pilot to fly solo across all seven continents and raise $1 million for cancer research.
www.bbc.com
An American teenager has recently been detained on an Antarctic island, significantly delaying his ambitious quest to fly his small plane to every continent. This remarkable journey, which has captivated over a million online followers, took a turn on July 4, 2025, when Ethan Guo, 19, was stopped by Chilean authorities.
6 Key Takeaways American teenager detained in Antarctica
Submitted false flight plan to authorities
Charged with violations of aeronautical code
Aims to raise $1 million for cancer research
Journey spans over 140 days across continents
Update posted on social media platform X
Guo’s adventure began in Punta Arenas, Chile, but he faced legal issues after submitting a false flight plan. His deviation activated alert protocols, leading to his detention on King George Island, home to several international research stations.
Fast Answer: Ethan Guo’s Antarctic detention raises questions about aviation safety and international regulations, as he aims to become the first pilot to fly solo across all seven continents.
This incident highlights the complexities of aviation laws and international treaties. How can young adventurers navigate these regulations while pursuing their dreams? Consider these points:
Guo’s flight plan violation could lead to imprisonment.
He allegedly breached the Antarctic Treaty, which governs international relations in the region.
His journey aims to raise funds for cancer research.
Guo has successfully flown to six continents prior to this incident.
This situation underscores the importance of adhering to international aviation laws, especially in sensitive areas like Antarctica.
As Guo navigates this unexpected setback, his story serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by adventurers and the significance of respecting global regulations. Will he continue his journey once released?
Watch with ‘adventurous past’ to be auctioned in Gloucestershire
Watch with ‘adventurous past’ to go under hammer in Gloucestershire. Sir Ernest Shackleton took the watch on his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The open face silver pocket watch was inherited 40 years ago by the current owner
Sir Ernest Shackleton took the watch on his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in the 1910s
A pocket watch which has been described as having an “adventurous past” by an auction house is set to go under the hammer.
An engraving on its dustcover details how the watch was taken on the SY Aurora by Sir Ernest Shackleton during his Trans-Antarctic Expedition between 1914 and 1917.
The open face silver pocket watch was inherited 40 years ago by the current owner.
The watch is expected to fetch between £400 and £600 at Kinghams Auctioneers in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, on 10 July.
American teen pilot detained on small island in Antarctica
American teen pilot detained on small island in Antarctica. Ethan Guo, 19, stopped after he submitted a false flight plan. King George island is part of the the continent of Antarctica, and is claimed by Chile. Mr Guo is hoping to become the first pilot to complete solo flights across all seven continents in the Cessna aircraft. He aims to raise $1m (£ 731,000) for cancer research at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
King George island is part of the the continent of Antarctica, and is claimed by Chile
Mr Guo was taken into custody after landing on King George Island, home to a number of international research stations and their staffs, where July temperatures typically stay well below freezing.
His deviation from that plan in the air had “activated alert protocols”, Chile’s General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said in a statement.
Chilean authorities stopped Ethan Guo, 19, after he submitted a false flight plan, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
An American teenager has been detained on an Antarctic island, creating a major delay in his attempt to fly his small plane to every continent that is being followed online by more than a million people.
Mr Guo’s small Cessna 182 aircraft took off from the city of Punta Arenas, near the southernmost point of Chile, and flew to the island off the Atlantic coast, which is claimed by Chile. It is named after England’s King George III.
He was detained at Teniente R. Marsh airport.
Mr Guo had allegedly submitted a plan to fly over Punta Arenas, but not beyond that, according to regional prosecutor Cristian Cristoso Rifo, as cited by CBS.
He has been charged for violating two articles of the country’s aeronautical code, including one that could lead to short-term imprisonment.
In the statement, Chile’s General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said Mr Guo had also allegedly violated the Antarctic Treaty, which regulates international relations with respect to the uninhabited continent.
Mr Guo posted an update on X on Wednesday, saying: “I’m alive everyone, I’ll make an update soon.”
Ethan Guo has flown his Cessna aircraft to all the other six continents in his journey spanning more than 140 days, according to his social media feed.
He is hoping to become the first pilot to complete solo flights across all seven continents in the Cessna aircraft, and simultaneously aims to raise $1m (£ 731,000) for cancer research at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
US teen Ethan Guo detained in Antarctica for landing without permission while venturing on solo flight to 7 continents
Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old aviator from Memphis, was detained and charged with submitting a false flight plan before traversing towards the South Pole. He took off from Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas, Chile, with plans to fly over the southern Chile port city but diverted course and headed to Antarctica. Guo is aiming to raise $1 million for cancer research with his high-flying campaign across the globe. He has enlisted more than 1 million people to “follow my solo flight around the world to fight cancer.’ Guo was inspired by his cousin’s battle with stage 4 Hodgkin’S lymphoma, according to his website, which hasn’t been updated in recent weeks. The teen is being held on the Antarctic island until he is permitted to return to Chile on a commercial flight back to PuntaArenas, CNN Español reported. He faces a 90-day investigation and will be forced to remain in Chile throughout the period.
An American teen is accused of going off course and landing in Antarctica without permission as he attempts to become the youngest pilot to fly to all seven continents.
Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old aviator from Memphis, was detained and charged with submitting a false flight plan before traversing towards the South Pole on June 28, the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Prosecutor’s Office.
7 Ethan Guo behind the controls of the Cessna 182Q he’s been flying around the world since May 2024. @ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
Guo is aiming to raise $1 million for cancer research with his high-flying campaign across the globe.
Guo, the only person aboard the Cessna 182Q, took off from Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas, Chile, with plans to fly over the southern Chile port city but diverted course and headed to Antarctica.
“The accused provided false information to the aeronautical authority. He submitted a flight plan indicating that he was going to fly over the city of Punta Arenas,” Regional Prosecutor Cristian Crisosto Rifo said in a video to X.
“However, he continued on his way to Antarctica without any information or authorization, landing at the Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base in Chilean Antarctic territory,” Rifo said.
The base is located on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands off the coast of mainland Antarctica in the Southern Ocean.
7 Guo lands his plane at Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base in Chilean Antarctic territory on King George Island on June 28, 2025. Reuters
7 Guo is aiming to raise $1 million for cancer research with his high-flying campaign across the globe. @ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
Guo’s unannounced arrival was considered a danger to the airspace around Antarctica and the Magallanes region.
The Asian-American teen was apprehended after his landing and charged by authorities at the research base.
“The accused not only violated the Aeronautical Code but also multiple national and international regulations regarding routes to Antarctica and access to the white continent,” Rifo added.
Rifo applauded the Chilean Navy for its “impeccable work” taking in the teen and protecting the Antarctic region.
Guo’s attorney Karina Ulloa claims the teen began experiencing complications while flying and ended up in Antarctica.
“While already in the air, he began to experience a series of complications,” Ulloa told CNN, “He was conducting an exploratory flight to see if he could follow this route or not.”
The teen is being held on the Antarctic island until he is permitted to return to Chile on a commercial flight back to Punta Arenas, CNN Español reported.
Weather conditions have prohibited flights from taking off and landing on the island.
Once back in South America, Guo faces a 90-day investigation and will be forced to remain in Chile throughout the period.
7 Weather conditions have prohibited flights from taking off and landing on the island. @ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
7 Once back in South America, Guo faces a 90-day investigation and will be forced to remain in Chile throughout the period. @ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
Guo has documented his year-long journey on his Instagram account, where he has enlisted more than 1 million people to “follow my solo flight around the world to fight cancer.”
He last posted an update on his travels on June 23, which marked Day 142 of his trip as he flew around the Philippines.
He first took off from his hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, in May 2024, and has landed in nearly 60 countries.
7 Guo has documented his year-long journey on his Instagram account, where he has enlisted more than 1 million people to “follow my solo flight around the world to fight cancer.” @ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
7 He first took off from his hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, in May 2024, and has landed in nearly 60 countries. @ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
Guo was inspired by his cousin’s battle with stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
He set out to raise $1 million for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, according to his website, which hasn’t been updated in recent weeks.
“I admire him,” Guo said of his cousin. “He inspired me to take life more seriously and join the fight against cancer. I want to use every opportunity to raise awareness of childhood cancer and the necessity to increase research efforts to find prevention and treatment methods.”