An American pilot who was arrested when landing in the Chilean Antarctica more than 40 days ago says that he has not yet been allowed to fly even after his case was suspended.
Ethan Guo was trying to become the youngest person to fly only to the seven continents and raise money for cancer investigation when he was accused of illegally landing in a Chilean territory in Antarctica.
While trying to fly from Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the end of June, Guo told ABC News in an interview on Wednesday that he lost the radio transmission and his plane experienced a motor failure, so he deviated to Antarctica and landed on a remote island off the coast.
The American pilot Ethan Guo poses for the photographer in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 6, 2024, before his take -off from the Geneva airport for trying a world record flight to the seven continents.
Salvatore di Nolfi/Keystone through AP
Guo’s lawyer said the pilot received “explicit and direct permission” to land on a Chilean base. But when landing, Guo was arrested and accused of providing false flight information, according to Chilean officials, who said he did not have a permission and “violated international regulations with respect to the Antarctica continent.”
A Chilean court suspended his case this week and ordered him to donate $ 30,000 to a local beneficial organization. The donation is part of the stipulation for his positions, Guo confirmed. It is also forbidden to re -enter Chilean territory for three years, Chilean officials said.
Guo said he is “grateful” and “relieved” for the positions that are withdrawn, maintaining that he did nothing wrong, although he would like the case to be resolved before.
Guo said he has lost weight during this terrible experience and feels like a “prisoner” at the base. He said that despite being free to leave, Chilean officials “will not let me go.”
Ethan Guo talks to ABC News, August 13, 2025.
ABC News
His lawyer said that “despite his exemption, the Chilean government has not allowed him to fly his base air plane.”
Guo said he has heard different reasons why he cannot leave, including that the plane is not in a position to fly, it does not have enough fuel, it does not have the right skills and the weather is too poor.
“The four statements are objectively false,” he said. “I have all the paperwork. I have an insurance that even covers Antarctica. The plane has enough fuel, the plane is working. And I am a qualified pilot.”
Guo said that going by boat could be an option, but said they are rare, and that there has been none since it has been at the base. He also said he wants to fly back to continue his fundraising trip. The pilot embarked on his fundraising mission last year at the age of 19, trying to raise up to $ 1 million to investigate childhood cancer.
“I want to continue fighting cancer and continue the mission,” he said.
