Influencer Ethan Guo, 19, stranded in the Chilean Antarctic since landing plane without permission
Authorities say Guo landed his small plane illegally after providing false flight plan information to officials who opened an investigation.
Guo made headlines last year when the then-19-year-old teen began a trip in an attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents and, at the same time, collect donations for research into childhood cancer.
4 American teen influencer Ethan Guo has been stuck since June in a remote location in Chilean territory in Antarctica.
AP
As part of his trip, the teen, who identifies as Asian American, planned to go to the Antarctic, but according to the authorities, he lied to officials by providing authorities with 'false flight plan data.'
Prosecutors said he had been authorized to only fly over Punta Arenas, but that he kept going south, heading for Antarctica in his Cessna 182Q — a single-engine light aircraft known for its versatility.
Guo was charged on June 29 with handing false information to ground control and landing without authorization, but on Monday, a judge dropped the charges as part of an agreement with his lawyers and Chile's prosecutors.
It requires the teen to give a $30,000 donation to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days to avoid a trial. He must also leave the country as soon as conditions allow and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years.
On Monday, after the judge's ruling, Guo told The Associated Press in a text message that he was 'relieved by the outcome.'
4 Guo was charged on June 29 with handing false information to ground control and landing without authorization, but on Monday, a judge dropped the charges as part of an agreement with his lawyers and Chile's prosecutors.
@ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
For the past six weeks, since being charged, he has stayed at a military base. He was not forced to stay there, only to remain in Chilean territory, but because of the severe winter in that part of the southern hemisphere, there haven't been any available flights he could take.
And he has been unable to fly his Cessna.
4 Authorities say Guo landed his small plane illegally after providing false flight plan information to officials who opened an investigation.
Reuters
Chilean prosecutor Cristián Crisoto on Monday told reporters that Guo's plane 'does not have the capabilities to make a flight,' without providing details. But the American teen influencer said he is talking with this lawyer to see if there's a way he can fly it.
4 Guo made headlines last year when the then-19-year-old teen began a trip in an attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents and collect donations for research into childhood cancer.
@ethanguo.rtw/Instagram
'I remain in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight,' Guo told AP. 'I sincerely hope they give it to me soon so that I and my plane can continue with my original mission.'
The prosecutor's office said Guo must also pay all costs for his 'aircraft security and personal maintenance' during his stay at the military facility. He also needs to cover all expenses for his return.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
More Americans are driving to Canada than Canadians to the U.S., report finds
More American travellers drove to Canada in July than Canadians did to the United States, according to a new report by Statistics Canada. This is the first time such a reversal has taken place since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The dramatic decline of Canadians travelling to the U.S. was sparked last year, with U.S. President Donald Trump's heated rhetoric about Canada becoming the 51st state that led to an ongoing trade war and lingering tension between the two countries. The data for last month shows that 1.8 million American residents drove to Canada, compared to the 1.7 million Canadian residents who made a return trip from the U.S. by car. Canadian road trips to U.S. plunge for seventh month as boycott continues Both countries saw a decline at land border crossings last month. For Americans driving to Canada, there was a slight dip of 7.4 per cent compared to the same month last year. It was also the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year declines. However, the decline was much steeper for Canadians returning from the U.S. this July compared to the previous year, at nearly 37 per cent. Last month marked the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year declines, StatCan said. 'In 2024, Canadian-resident trips to the United States totalled 39 million, representing 75 per cent of all Canadian-resident travel abroad,' according to another StatCan report published earlier this summer about travel to the U.S. 'However, recent data on foreign travel suggest that Canadians' travel sentiment toward their southern neighbour has been shifting in early 2025.' Although the data reflects a 'notable change in travel patterns,' StatCan said it is 'unclear whether the change is temporary or part of a more permanent shift.' As for air travel, the number of non-resident visitors who flew to Canada increased in July. There were 1.4 million of them — up by just over 3 per cent since the same time last year. While the bump was largely due to residents who came from overseas (up 5.6 per cent this year), American travellers were also up by just under 1 per cent. The highest number of U.S.-resident arrivals by air was 31,600 Americans on July 3, before the Independence Day long weekend in the U.S. Meanwhile, the number of Canadians returning home from abroad by air last month was down by 5.3 per cent compared to the previous year. In particular, Canadians flying back from the U.S. also decreased by nearly 26 per cent since the same time last year. Canadian permanent residents will now have to pay 'visa integrity fee' to enter U.S. Here's what it is An American sent to Canada was shocked by how furious Canadians are at the U.S. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
The Hill
13 minutes ago
- The Hill
Judge dismisses 2 counts against US Rep. Cuellar of Texas, moves bribery trial to next year
HOUSTON (AP) — A judge on Thursday granted a request by federal prosecutors to dismiss two of the 14 counts against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife, as part of a federal bribery and conspiracy indictment. The judge also ordered that their trial, which had been set for September, be rescheduled for next year. Prosecutors with the U.S. Justice Department had asked U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal to dismiss two counts that Cuellar and his wife had each faced related to violating the prohibition on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal. Federal authorities have charged Cuellar, 69, and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, with accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for the congressman advancing the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico. Cuellar has said he and his wife are innocent. Prosecutors said they were dismissing the two counts following a February memorandum from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that shifted the focus of charges filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The law is aimed at ensuring transparency about lobbying efforts done in the U.S. at the direction of foreign governments or principals. Bondi's memorandum said that such charges 'shall be limited to instances of alleged conduct similar to more traditional espionage by foreign government actors.' During a Zoom court hearing, Rosenthal said she was set to file an order granting the prosecution's motion to dismiss the two counts. Cuellar and his wife each still face 12 charges, including conspiracy, bribery and money laundering. Rosenthal also granted a request from both prosecutors and attorneys for the Cuellars to reschedule their trial in Houston. The couple's trial had been set to begin Sept. 22. Rosenthal agreed to move it to April 6. Cuellar has served in Congress for over 20 years, and his district stretches from San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano:
Newsweek
14 minutes ago
- Newsweek
ICE Arrests of Migrants Without Criminal Records Surge Nearly 200 Percent
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A far larger share of non‑criminal migrants have been arrested as part of the Trump administration's expanded immigration enforcement campaign, according to new federal and independent data. The director of the Deportation Data Project told Newsweek that he found it "impossible" for the president to keep his promise of mass deportations of "criminals." Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, however, told Newsweek, in part, "It is not an accurate description to say they are 'non-criminals.' This deceptive categorization is devoid of reality and misleads the American public. Let us remind you that being here illegally is in fact a crime (8 USC 1325)." Why It Matters President Donald Trump emphasized a prioritization of the removal of violent offenders and the "worst of the worst" during his presidential campaign; however, data shows growing arrests of people without U.S. criminal charges or convictions, raising legal and policy questions about resources, detention capacity and humanitarian oversight. Recent cases involving nonviolent immigrants lacking criminal records have exacerbated concerns and led to broader discussions of whether immigrants, in certain instances, who lack citizenship but have abided by all other U.S. laws, should be removed. NYPD officers arrest protestors for blocking traffic on Broadway as they protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside of the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 08, 2025, in New York City. NYPD officers arrest protestors for blocking traffic on Broadway as they protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside of the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 08, 2025, in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images What To Know Federal and independent datasets show that ICE arrested substantially more people overall during the Trump administration's first six months in office than during the final six months of the Biden administration. Researchers at the the University of California at Berkeley's Deportation Data Project, which compiles federal data, found that roughly 37 percent of ICE arrests in July 2025 were of people with no U.S. criminal convictions or pending charges—doubling to about 92,000 during the first six months of the Trump administration compared with the final half‑year of the Joe Biden administration. That 37 percent figure is up from 13 percent during Biden's last full month in office in December. "As the [Trump] administration increases immigration arrests, it will inevitably sweep in many people with no criminal record," Davis Hausman, a law professor and faculty director of the Deportation Data Project, told Newsweek via email on Thursday. "There just aren't many noncitizens with criminal records, so the promise of mass deportations of criminals is an impossible one to keep." The Trump administration has dramatically increased arrests of people who have never been convicted of a crime in the US, accounting for a little more than 60 percent of ICE arrests during his first six months in office, roughly equating to 188 days, compared to the 44 percent of arrests during Biden's last six months as president. Of the Trump administration's approximate 132,485 arrests, 39 percent had criminal convictions; 31 percent had criminal charges pending; and 30 percent had no criminal charges. In comparison, the Biden administration's approximate 52,334 arrests included 56 percent with criminal convictions, 28 percent with pending criminal charges, and 16 percent with no criminal charges. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, told Newsweek via email that the Deportation Data Project "is being cherry peddle a false narrative." Multiple independent analyses and reporting showed the detention population rose to record levels in June and July, with estimates of roughly 55,000 to 59,000 people held in ICE facilities during late June and July, according to The Guardian—noting that ICE arrests have more than doubled in 38 states and are most prevalent in states with large immigrant populations including California, Florida and Texas. Southern and western states that have embraced Trump's agenda have also experienced higher arrests. During a White House meeting in May, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller urged ICE agents to aim for as many as 3,000 arrests per day. A recent case involving a Chinese immigrant and small-business restaurant owner, Kelly Yu, in Arizona has led to bipartisan calls for her release from ICE detainment. DHS has refuted statements in her defense. "Lai Kuen Yu, an illegal alien from Hong Kong, has had a final deportation order from a judge since 2005," Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, told Newsweek via email. "She was arrested illegally crossing the border by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona on February 4, 2004, and two days later was released into the country." DHS said that in November 2013, the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed her appeal and upheld her final order of removal. On August 23, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied her appeal. On June 12 of this year, the Board of Immigration Appeals granted her a temporary stay of removal while it considers her motion to reopen. She will remain in ICE custody pending her removal proceedings. "ICE does not deport U.S. citizens," McLaughlin said. "It's her choice. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with someone the parent designates." What People Are Saying Davis Hausman, a law professor and faculty director of the Deportation Data Project, told Newsweek via email on Thursday: "As the [Trump] administration increases immigration arrests, it will inevitably sweep in many people with no criminal record. There just aren't many noncitizens with criminal records, so the promise of mass deportations of criminals is an impossible one to keep." Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, told Newsweek via email on Thursday: "This data is being cherry picked by the Deportation Data Project to peddle a false narrative. Many of the individuals that are counted as 'non-criminals' are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gangsters and more; they just don't have a rap sheet in the U.S. Further, every single one of these individuals committed a crime when they came into this country illegally. "It is not an accurate description to say they are 'non-criminals.' This deceptive categorization is devoid of reality and misleads the American public. Let us remind you that being here illegally is in fact a crime (8 USC 1325). We are putting the American people first by removing illegal aliens who pose a threat to our communities." What Happens Next Lawmakers have sent oversight letters raising priority questions for enforcement, and legal groups filed suits challenging arrests at courthouses and expanded detention practices, indicating litigation and hearings were likely to follow. The administration has sought expanded detention capacity and funding to sustain higher arrest rates, with federal budget allocations and proposals under discussion as the enforcement campaign continues.
