Ethan Guo, a 16-year-old American pilot and social media influencer, has struck a bargain for his release from Chile. Already he was dealing with accusations of making an unauthorized landing in Antarctica. Guo had been marooned on the uninhabited Antarctic island since late June. Consequently, due to his actions, he is now under a three-year national ban from ever reentering Chilean territory.
When Guo filed an inaccurate flight plan, that’s when legal troubles came a-knockin’. He departed from Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas on board a Cessna 182Q aircraft, registered as N182WT. However, during the flight Guo made a change of plan, landing in Antarctica, where he had not received authorization to land. His lawyer, Karina Ulloa, explained that “while already in the air, he began to experience a series of complications,” which contributed to his decision to alter his route.
A judge in Chile recently ruled to suspend proceedings against Guo. This ruling lets him go home, but with strict conditions. Of these conditions, Guo will have to donate $30,000 to a children’s cancer foundation within 30 days. This donation aligns with his stated mission of raising $1 million for cancer research by becoming “the first person ever to fly to all seven continents solo.” It’s a route he’s been chronicling on Instagram since last September, attracting more than a million followers in the process.
Her efforts to fulfill this ambitious project were met with considerable obstacles. Once he lands in Antarctica, his options for getting out are severely reduced. He cannot leave except on the military vessel or a commercial flight. The next regularly scheduled commercial flight is due to leave Punta Arenas in early October.
Ulloa noted that Guo claimed he was conducting “an exploratory flight to see if he could follow this route or not,” emphasizing the unintentional nature of his actions. Unsafe deviation from course and/or landing without permission can result in grave repercussions. The young pilot is now experiencing tremendous legal and financial fallout. He will be required to cover the costs of “aircraft security and personal maintenance” related to his unauthorized landing.
