Overview

• Ethan Guo, 19, was detained after touching down without prior approval at Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base on King George Island.
• Magallanes prosecutors formally charged him with two counts under Chile’s aeronautical code, one of which carries potential short-term imprisonment.
• Officials allege he submitted a false flight plan indicating a route over Punta Arenas before diverting to Antarctica without notifying authorities.
• Authorities contend his unsanctioned landing endangered regional air traffic safety and contravened multiple national and international regulations.
• Guo began his solo seven-continent flight in May 2024 to raise $1 million for cancer research and had completed six continents over 140 days.