Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old American pilot and influencer, has had the charges against him dropped after spending over six weeks stranded on King George Island in Antarctica. Guo's troubles began when he embarked on a remarkable journey to become the youngest individual to fly solo to all seven continents while raising money for cancer research, inspired by his cousin’s battle with the illness.
The young pilot flew from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island, which is under Chilean claim, with the intention of furthering his mission. However, upon landing, he was detained by authorities for allegedly providing false information about his flight plan and landing without the necessary permissions. These charges, which were filed on June 29, were dismissed by a judge recently, allowing Guo to focus on his next steps.
"I remain in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight," said Guo in a statement following the ruling. He is now required to make a $30,000 donation to a children's cancer foundation and has been banned from re-entering Chile for three years. Although he can travel to other regions of Chile according to the judge's ruling, adverse weather conditions have kept him on the island.
Currently, he has been staying at a military base while he waits to be allowed to leave. Throughout his travels, Guo has dedicated himself to raising funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, with a goal of achieving $1 million for cancer research before completing his ambitious flying journey across all continents.
