A 19-year-old American influencer's quest to become the first solo pilot to fly to all seven continents hit turbulence Saturday when he was detained in Antarctica for allegedly altering his flight plan without permission. Now, Ethan Guo faces a 90-day investigation in Chile after allegedly landing on the icy continent without permission, CNN reports. Guo, who has over a million Instagram followers, is attempting his quest as a fundraising effort for cancer research with a $1 million goal. KTVU reported in May that he was inspired to raise the money by his teen cousin's cancer diagnosis. At the time, Guo had just two continents left to reach his goal; Antarctica was meant to be his last stop.
According to Chilean prosecutors, Guo filed a false flight plan from the city of Punta Arenas, Chile, stating he would be flying over the city, but instead diverted to Antarctica without notifying authorities. They say he landed at the Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base, an airfield in Chilean Antarctic territory, without proper authorization—a move officials say violated both national and international regulations and endangered air traffic in the region.
Cristian Crisosto Rifo, the Regional Prosecutor of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, stated that Guo's actions "seriously endangered the safety of air traffic to Antarctica and the Magallanes region." Guo was formally charged and is required to stay in the Chilean sector of Antarctica until given permission to return to Punta Arenas. A Chilean court has set a 90-day investigation period during which Guo must remain in the country.
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Guo's lawyer, Karina Ulloa, told reporters that the young pilot experienced "complications" during the flight and claimed he was simply conducting an exploratory route. Guo has been broadcasting his journey since September, with his most recent social media post showing a flight over the Philippines. The case remains under investigation, and Guo has yet to publicly comment.
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