Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old American student and aspiring pilot, has successfully navigated a legal hurdle as charges against him have been dropped after a detention in Antarctica for illegally landing his aircraft. Guo, who embarked on a journey to complete solo flights to all seven continents and raise funds for cancer research, had been stranded on King George Island since June.
Local judges had accused Guo of submitting false information in his flight plan, leading to his arrest after a flight from Punta Arenas, Chile to King George Island, a location containing multiple international research facilities. Initially detained on June 29, he faced claims of unauthorized landing and misleading ground control, but these charges were dismissed by a judge on Monday.
"I remain in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight," Guo said in a statement to the Associated Press following the ruling. "I sincerely hope they give it to me soon so that I and my plane can continue with my original mission."
Though he has experienced delays, Guo has spent weeks at a military base on the island and is now subject to a $30,000 donation requirement to a children’s cancer charity before he can travel out. Guo's journey was inspired by his cousin's battle with cancer, and he aims to collect $1 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
As he strives to become the youngest individual to fly solo to every continent in a Cessna aircraft, Guo has already spent over 140 days airborne during his mission, which blends adventure and charitable endeavor in pursuit of a significant cause.
