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Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old American pilot on a solo mission to land on all seven continents, was detained on June 28 after an unauthorized landing in Antarctica, marking the latest legal complication in his record-setting global flight.
Guo, an instrument-rated private pilot with over 700 hours of flight time, was arrested by Chilean authorities upon landing at Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport (TNM) on King George Island. The teenager had departed from Presidente Carlos Ibanez del Campo International Airport (PUQ) in Punta Arenas, Chile, but deviated from his approved flight plan mid-air without informing air traffic control—a serious breach of international aviation regulations.
According to a statement from Chile’s Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC), “The pilot’s lack of information immediately activated the alert protocols established for this type of situation, including the deployment of air resources designated for the search, with the consequent use of state resources and risks to operational safety.” The DGAC has filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for a potential violation of the Antarctic Aeronautical and Regulatory Code.
Guo’s journey is more than a personal quest for aviation history; it’s a heartfelt mission to raise $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in honor of his cousin, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma just as Guo was preparing to begin his expedition.
“It was extremely unexpected because he was young, 17, 18 at that time,” Guo shared earlier in his journey. “And it was stage 4 blood cancer, which is not very good unfortunately, and I was like, ‘What can I do to help?’”
Flying in a Cessna 182Q Skylane (tail number N182WT), Guo began his mission in May 2024 from General DeWitt Spain Airport in Memphis, Tennessee. The plan: 75 landings in 60 countries, covering more than 50,000 miles. So far, he has successfully crossed five continents, landed in all 48 contiguous U.S. states, and traversed the Atlantic Ocean three times.
However, the Antarctic arrest isn’t his first brush with international authorities. During a weather-disrupted leg between India and Thailand in May, Guo was forced to make an unscheduled landing in conflict-ridden Myanmar. There, he was detained overnight and subjected to hours of questioning before being released.
With only two continents and 20 countries left on his itinerary, Guo’s dream of becoming the youngest pilot to fly solo to all seven continents remains in jeopardy, now tangled in legal uncertainty at the bottom of the world.
As of this writing, Chilean authorities have not released further information regarding Guo’s legal status or when he might be permitted to continue his journey.