THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Aug 13, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic


NextImg:Teenage 'influencer' stuck in Antarctica after taking 'illegal' flight to continent

A teenage social media influencer has been stranded on an isolated Antarctic island since June after landing there on an unauthorised flight.

Pilot and social media star, Ethan Guo, 19, has been not been permitted to leave King George Island by Chilean authorities, who claim the British territory as their own, after being accused of landing there without permission.

A Chilean judge has agreed to suspend proceedings against the teenager on a number of conditions.

Ethan Guo

Ethan Guo, 19, has been not been permitted to leave the British Territory in Antarctica by Chilean authorities

|

YOUTUBE

On Monday, Guo's lawyers reached an agreement with prosecutors to suspend legal proceedings on the condition that the social media star donates $30,000 (£22,221) to a children's cancer charity within 30 days.

Guo must also leave the country and will be banned for entering Chilean territory for the next three years.

The 19-year-old, who boasts over 1.5 million followers on Instagram, was attempting to raise funds for cancer research causes by flying solo to each of the seven continents.

But he stumbled into legal trouble when he allegedly landed without permission on the Chilean-claimed island.

Ethan Guo plane

The 19-year-old was attempting to raise funds for cancer research causes by flying solo to each of the seven continents

|

FLIGHT AGAINST CANCER

Prosecutor Cristian Crisosto told CNN that the agreement will be voided and legal proceedings will resume if Guo does not meet the conditions.

The Chilean prosecutor added that since the influencer and his plane is still on the island, he would be subject to "aircraft security and personal maintenance fees" of around $600 (£445) for each day he has been there.

He added that Guo may leave the Antarctic region through a commercial flight or by military ship.

However, the next flight scheduled to Chile's most southern city, Punta Arenas, is not due to take off until October.

Chile

Guo will be banned for entering Chilean territory for the next three years

|

GETTY

Chilean authorities claim that Guo submitted a fake flight plan off from Punta Arenas' Carlos Ibanez del Campo Airport as the only passenger and crew member.

The 19-year-old turned off course in his Cessna 182Q aircraft and set a course for the South Pole.

Guo's lawyer, Kerina Ulloa, said that the US national experienced "complications" whilst in the air and claimed that he was "conducting an exploratory flight to see if he could follow this route or not".

The influencer had posted his journey, which began in September, to his masses of followers on Instagram.

According to Guo's website, he was inspired to attempt to become "the first person ever to fly to all seven continents solo in a small aircraft" and raise money for cancer research after his cousin was diagnosed with the disease in 2021.

The site reads: "He inspired me to take life more seriously and join the fight against cancer.

“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.”

Guo's website also revealed that his passion for flying began when he was 13, and he became a qualified private pilot just four years later.