Influencer and pilot Ethan Guo has been detained in Antarctica during his viral challenge to fly over all seven continents for charity, with the prosecutor revealing the reason why on Twitter.
Ethan, who was born in Tianjin, China, but currently lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, began taking flying lessons at the age of 13, completing his pilot’s license just four years later. When his cousin was diagnosed with a stage four lymphoma, the influencer set out to raise money for cancer research using his skills as a pilot.
“Inspired by his cousin’s battle with cancer, 19-year-old pilot Ethan Guo is embarking on a historic solo flight across all seven continents to raise $1 million for cancer research and awareness through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” his website reads.
@ethansbiography Airline Whisky Tango
“I want to use every opportunity to raise awareness of childhood cancer and the necessity to increase research efforts to find prevention and treatment methods.”
Ethan set off from Memphis, Tennessee, back in May 2024, and has been steadily making his way across the globe ever since, touching down in Geneva, Heraklion, the Philippines, and most recently, Chile. He’s was arrested and detained earlier this week.
Why was Ethan Guo detained in Antarctica?
On June 28, Ethan Guo was in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas when he filed a flight plan to enjoy the view of the city from the sky. However, he never actually flew over the city after taking off from Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport, instead flying south into the Chilean Antarctic territory.
@ethansbiography Day 81 of flying to all 7 continents! Route: OEDF OTBD Distance: 170 miles #flightagainstcancer #circumnavigation #plane #pilot #airplane #cessna #flying #saudi #saudiarabia #middleeast #egypt #desert #riyadh #dammam #heat #hot #qatar #doha #aroundtheworld #day81
Landing at Teniente Marsh Airfield on King George Island, a full 769 miles away from the city he claimed to be flying over, Ethan Guo was detained by Chilean police.
“The accused provided false information to the aeronautical authority. He submitted a flight plan indicating that he was going to fly over the city of Punta Arenas,” Regional Prosecutor Cristian Crisosto Rifo said in a video posted to Twitter.
Entregó plan de vuelo falso y aterrizó en pista de aeródromo en Antártica.
Como autor de los delitos sancionados en el artículo 194 y 197 del Código Aeronáutico, fue formalizado, en Punta Arenas, piloto estadounidense que aterrizó sin autorización en territorio Antártico. pic.twitter.com/R5fzbPBIPJ
— Fiscalía de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (@Fisc_Magallanes) June 29, 2025
“However, he continued on his way to Antarctica without any information or authorisation, landing at the Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base in Chilean Antarctic territory.”
He’s now been told to remain in the Magallanes Region, with a hearing set for July 11 that will decide his fate. It’s not yet clear where this leaves his charity challenge.
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Featured image credit: Ethan Guo
