Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old American content creator and pilot, has been granted permission to leave the Chilean Antarctic Territory after being stranded for six weeks.
Guo had been attempting to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents while raising $1 million for cancer research.
According to the Associated Press, Chilean authorities charged Guo on June 29 with providing false flight plan data and landing without authorisation. Officials stated that he had been cleared only to fly over Punta Arenas but continued south to Antarctica, where he landed his small aircraft.
On Monday, prosecutors and Guo’s legal team reached an agreement requiring him to donate $30,000 to a children’s cancer foundation within 30 days and to refrain from entering Chilean territory for three years. As a result, a judge dropped all charges against him.
Guo, who has documented his journey for over 1.4 million social media followers, has so far raised more than $131,000 for cancer research in honour of his cousin, diagnosed with the disease in 2021. His mission aims to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer prevention and treatment.
In a message to the AP, Guo said he was “relieved by the outcome” and added, “I remain in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight. I sincerely hope they give it to me soon so that I and my plane can continue with my original mission.”
His travels, which began in June 2024, have included stops on multiple continents, with regular updates chronicling his progress. Before his detainment, his most recent post showed him flying from Davao City to Manila in the Philippines, marking day 142 of his world record attempt.
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