An American teenager, Ethan Guo, has been detained on King George Island in Antarctica, resulting in a significant setback to his ambitious endeavor of flying his small Cessna 182 to all seven continents. The 19-year-old was stopped by Chilean authorities following the submission of a false flight plan, as reported by CBS News, a partner of the BBC.
Chilean officials indicated that by deviating from his original flight plan, Guo's actions triggered alert protocols of the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics. He was taken into custody upon landing at Teniente R. Marsh airport, located on the island, which hosts numerous international research stations, generally characterized by harsh conditions with temperatures below freezing in July.
According to regional prosecutor Cristian Cristoso Rifo, Guo had filed a plan that only permitted flying over Punta Arenas, without authorization for any additional flights beyond that. His charges include violating two articles of Chile’s aeronautical code, one of which may carry the possibility of short-term imprisonment. Furthermore, authorities have also accused him of infringing upon the Antarctic Treaty, which governs international relations on the continent.
Guo, who has been documenting his travels online, reassured his followers via social media with an update stating, "I'm alive everyone, I'll make an update soon." His journey, spanning over 140 days, has already seen him land on six of the seven continents. As part of his mission, he aims to become the first pilot to achieve solo flights across all seven continents and is concurrently fundraising to gather $1 million for cancer research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
