An American teen influencer, who embarked on an ambitious cancer research fundraising flight around the world last year, has been stranded in a remote location in Antarctica for almost two months.
Authorities say Ethan Guo landed his small plane illegally in Chilean territory and he was charged on June 29 with handing false information to ground control and landing without authorization.
However, on Monday, a judge dropped the charges as part of an agreement with his lawyers and Chile’s prosecutors. It requires the teen to give a $30,000 donation to a children’s cancer foundation within 30 days to avoid a trial.
He must also leave the country as soon as conditions permit and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years.
Who is Ethan Guo?
Ethan Guo is a 19-year-old Asian American pilot and influencer who is attempting to become the first person to fly solo across all seven continents.
The teenager is piloting a 50-year-old Cessna 182Q – a single-engine light aircraft known for its versatility – named Whiskey Tango.
According to Guo, who has 1.4 million followers on Instagram, the plane suffered engine failure soon after he began his first attempt at the historic journey.
How did he learn to fly?
Guo says his passion for aviation began at the age of 13 and he earned his private pilot license at 17 – having been homeschooled to accommodate flight training and preparation.
The teenager is now IFR-rated, meaning he can fly using instruments alone, without visual ground reference.
So far, Guo has flown to all 48 contiguous U.S. states and crossed the Atlantic three times, amassing over 700 hours of flight time. He began his seven-continent journey in September 2024.
Why is making the historic trip?
Guo’s journey started out as simply a passion and an achievement to aim for, but later took a more personal turn when his cousin was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2021.
Guo cites his cousin as the inspiration “to take life more seriously” and has joined the fight against cancer. His journey is now also a way to raise awareness of childhood cancer.
"It was extremely unexpected because he was young, 17, 18 at that time," Guo told KTUV in May. "And it was stage 4 blood cancer, which is not very good unfortunately, and I was like, ‘what can I do to help?’"
On his website, the teenager states he is aiming to raise $1 million for cancer research and awareness through St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
How is he funding his trip?
According to Guo, while his trip was simply a personal goal, he encountered funding challenges and worked different jobs to help pay for his training, while constantly searching for sponsors.
Now, though he has amassed financial backers across the world, including places such as Dubai, whom he has stopped in to visit along the way.
He also accrues funds through his social media content and collaborations with traditional media outlets.
The journey so far
Guo’s journey started in Memphis, Tennessee, the home of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Since then, he has travelled to six out of the seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia – stopping at hospitals along the way to meet with child cancer patients, and discuss raising awareness with experts and medical professionals.
The trip has not been without its perils, with Guo coming up against extreme weather, mechanical failures, brushes with military forces in several countries, and even detainment in Myanmar.
The teenager was grounded in the Chilean territory of King George Island off the Atlantic coast in June, and despite charges being dropped, he has been unable to fly on so far due to adverse weather conditions.
Advice to others
Guo has been honest about facing loneliness during his epic trip across the world.
"To be honest, many times I am scared," he told KTVU in May. "It's not a guarantee that I'll be able to complete this journey and on many fronts there are risks.
“But I think if you have something that you believe in and you find something that you believe is worth fighting for, I think even with the risk you should take it on."
However, he has remained determined and advises others to keep aiming for big things. “What I say to people is aim as big as you can, break it down to digestible steps and work towards it step by step,” he said.
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US influencer stranded in Antarctica after landing plane without permission
