American Influencer Released After Two-Month Detention in Antarctica for Unauthorized Landing
- Victor Nwoko
- Sep 6
- 2 min read
An American social media influencer who spent two months stranded at a Chilean military base in Antarctica after landing his plane without authorization has been released and returned to the mainland.
Ethan Guo, who turned 20 in July, was attempting to become the youngest pilot to fly solo across all seven continents in a fundraising mission for cancer research. He was detained on June 28 after landing his Cessna 182Q in Chile’s Antarctic territory. Authorities accused him of lying to officials by filing “false flight plan data” and exceeding his authorization, which only permitted him to fly over Punta Arenas in southern Chile.
Chilean prosecutors said Guo deliberately continued south toward Antarctica, while his lawyer argued that he was forced to divert due to poor weather conditions and believed he had clearance to land.
For two months, Guo lived in freezing winter conditions at the Antarctic base with limited communications while legal negotiations took place. On Saturday, a Chilean judge granted his release under the conditions that he donate $30,000 raised during his mission to a childhood cancer foundation within 30 days, leave Chile immediately, and remain banned from the country for three years.
Guo was transported to Punta Arenas aboard a Chilean navy vessel, where he appeared in good spirits, wearing a Chilean national soccer team jersey and greeting reporters. He described his detention as a “mundane” experience with “limited freedoms,” but praised the hospitality he received.
“The Chilean people have been incredibly hospitable, they’ve been fantastic people. They’ve taken care of me. They’ve taught me Spanish, and they’ve treated me like family,” Guo said after his release.
His lawyer, Jaime Barrientos, criticized the severity of the response but welcomed the agreement, calling it a fair resolution.
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