An American pilot and social media influencer who spent two months at a Chilean Antarctic military base after landing there without authorization was released Saturday and returned to the mainland, Chilean authorities said. Prosecutors said Ethan Guo will be required to pay $30,000 in penalties as part of the resolution.
Chilean prosecutors said Guo, who began his fundraising mission for cancer research at age 19, provided authorities with "false flight plan data" and had been authorized only to fly over Punta Arenas in southern Chile. Instead, they said, he continued south and landed in Chile’s Antarctic territory on June 28 in a Cessna 182Q, a single-engine light aircraft commonly used for general aviation.
Guo, who is originally from Tennessee and turned 20 in July, was detained at a military base after the unapproved landing and remained there while lawyers negotiated with government officials. Prosecutors said investigators concluded he had provided incorrect information to Chilean authorities about his intended route and destination.
People familiar with the situation said Guo spent his time at the base with limited communications amid the Antarctic winter, where nighttime temperatures can plunge below zero Celsius. Chilean military personnel at the base oversaw his custody during the legal process, according to statements from the prosecutor's office.
Authorities did not immediately provide further details about the legal terms of his release beyond the announced penalty. Local officials described the payment as part of administrative sanctions for entering Chile’s Antarctic territory without proper authorization.
Guo had been undertaking a widely publicized attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents while raising funds for cancer research. His campaign drew attention on social media and among aviation enthusiasts for its scope and the fundraising angle. The flight to Antarctica marked one leg of that effort and prompted scrutiny from Chilean authorities when he failed to adhere to the approved flight plan, prosecutors said.
Chilean law requires coordination and authorization for aircraft operations that land in or enter Chile’s claimed Antarctic territory, which is administered through national military and civilian channels. Unauthorized landings in the region can trigger administrative penalties and legal procedures, officials said in their statement announcing Guo’s release.
Guo’s aircraft, the Cessna 182Q, is a four-seat, single-engine airplane frequently used for personal and training flights; it is not typically outfitted for polar operations. Prosecutors cited the discrepancy between the approved flight plan and Guo’s actual routing as the central issue in their case.
The release closes a two-month detention that began with his arrival at the base in late June. Guo’s lawyers and Chilean authorities engaged in negotiations over the summer, culminating in the agreement announced Saturday that allows his return to the mainland after payment of the penalty.
Chilean officials did not say whether additional administrative measures or restrictions on future flights were imposed. Guo’s representatives had not issued an immediate comment following his release.
The case highlights the logistical and legal complexities of flights to polar regions and the scrutiny such operations can face from national authorities responsible for safety, environmental protection and territorial administration.