Who Is Ethan Guo? The 19-Year-Old US Influencer Pilot Stranded In Antarctica

NDTV

3 days ago

A 19-year-old influencer has been stuck in Antarctica since June after landing his small plane without permission in Chilean territory. According to the Independent, Ethan Guo was on a mission to fly solo to all seven continents to raise $1 million for cancer research when his journey hit a roadblock. Officials claim he provided false flight plan information, leading to an investigation and charges of landing without permission. Chilean prosecutor Cristian Cristoso also said that Guo violated "multiple national and international" rules governing access to Antarctica and the routes used to travel there.
His legal team argues that he faced unexpected complications mid-air, while prosecutors claim he knowingly submitted a bogus flight plan. Since being charged, he has been staying at a military base on the island. Although he wasn't required to stay at the base specifically, he was obligated to remain in Chilean territory. Due to the severe winter weather in the Southern Hemisphere, no flights were available for him to depart, leaving him stuck at the base for over six weeks.
On August 11, a judge dropped the charges after Mr Guo agreed to donate $30,000 to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days. He remains in Antarctica awaiting weather clearance to continue his mission.
The influencer has also been ordered to pay all costs associated with his aircraft security and personal maintenance during his stay at the military facility. Additionally, he'll need to cover all expenses for his return journey. Once conditions permit, he is required to leave Chile and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years.
Who is Ethan Guo?
Ethan Guo is a 19-year-old Asian American pilot and social media influencer who has over 1.4 million Instagram followers, where he documents his travels. He started flying at 13, earned his private pilot license at 17, and is IFR-rated, allowing him to fly using instruments alone. He has logged over 700 flight hours, crossed the Atlantic three times, and visited all 48 contiguous US states. His journey has covered six continents, including North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, while stopping at hospitals to raise cancer awareness.
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Mr Guo funds his journey through sponsorships, social media content, and media collaborations.
According to his website, he was inspired to start his mission to travel throughout the world to raise money for cancer research after his cousin was diagnosed with cancer in 2021.
"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," reads his site.