American influencer Ethan Guo, who had been stranded on King George Island in Antarctica since June, has had the charges against him dropped. The 19-year-old teen pilot was initially accused by local authorities of illegally landing his plane in Chilean territory during a solo expedition to visit all seven continents and raise funds for cancer research. Officials alleged that Guo provided false information regarding his flight plan when he was detained.
A judge ordered Guo to vacate the area, required a donation of $30,000 (£22,332) to a children's cancer foundation, and imposed a three-year ban on re-entering Chilean territory. Guo aimed to make history as the youngest pilot to complete a solo flight to all seven continents while raising money for childhood cancer research, inspired by his cousin's cancer diagnosis.
Last year, Guo took off in his Cessna 182Q aircraft from Punta Arenas, Chile, making it to King George Island, which is claimed by Chile. However, he was taken into custody upon landing there, a site known for housing various international research facilities. He had indicated a plan to fly only over Punta Arenas, not beyond, leading to charges of providing misleading information and unauthorized landing. Fortunately, these charges were dismissed on Monday and the young pilot is now awaiting approval for his departure flight.
Remaining hopeful, Guo told the Associated Press about his intent to resume his journey, expressing optimism that he would soon be granted permission to take off and continue raising funds aimed at achieving his $1 million goal for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Having spent more than 140 days in the air during his travels, Guo’s determination to complete his mission remains steadfast.
