American teen pilot detained on small island in Antarctica | Travel News

A 19-year-old American, Ethan Guo, has been detained on an island in Antarctica, causing a significant setback in his quest to fly a small plane solo to every continent—a journey closely followed online by over a million people.

Chilean authorities apprehended Guo after he allegedly filed a false flight plan, according to CBS News. The Chilean Civil Aviation Directorate reported that his unauthorized deviation from the plan triggered emergency alert protocols.

Guo was taken into custody upon landing on King George Island, a remote and icy location that hosts international research bases. The small Cessna 182 he was piloting had departed from Punta Arenas in southern Chile before heading to the island, which is part of Chile’s territorial claim in Antarctica.

He was arrested at Teniente R. Marsh Airport after authorities determined that his filed flight plan only covered the area above Punta Arenas. Regional prosecutor Cristian Cristoso Rifo confirmed Guo now faces charges for breaching two articles of Chile's aeronautical code, one of which carries the possibility of jail time.

In addition, Chilean officials say he may have violated the Antarctic Treaty, which governs activity on the continent.

Guo later posted on social media platform X: “I'm alive everyone, I'll make an update soon.”

According to his social media, Guo has already piloted his aircraft across six continents during his 140-day journey. His mission is not only to become the first person to solo-fly a Cessna across all seven continents, but also to raise \$1 million for cancer research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.