Ethan Guo has been stranded in Antarctica for over six weeks after being accused of illegally landing at the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport on King George Island, a Chilean military outpost.
Guo departed from Memphis on 31/5/2024, aiming to become the youngest person to fly solo to every continent while raising 1 million USD for pediatric cancer research. Antarctica was the final continent on his itinerary before encountering legal trouble with Chile on 28/6.
According to the Chilean prosecutor's indictment, Guo provided false information to air traffic control, deliberately attempting to reach Antarctica "at all costs," endangering international air safety.
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Ethan Guo at Geneva Airport, Switzerland, on 6/8/2024. Photo: AP |
Ethan Guo at Geneva Airport, Switzerland, on 6/8/2024. Photo: AP
Guo's lawyer, Jaime Barrientos, stated that his client correctly declared his initial route from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Ushuaia, Argentina. However, poor weather conditions and a technical malfunction forced him to alter his course and land at Teniente Marsh Airport in Antarctica.
Barrientos said Guo reported the situation to the Chilean Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) and received confirmation from a senior official via WhatsApp. He was subsequently granted permission to land by the air traffic controller at the Marsh base. Despite this, the Chilean military apprehended Guo upon landing, and he was prosecuted the following day and detained at the base pending trial.
Confined to a small room in the Chilean military barracks, Guo has had minimal opportunity to venture outside. His total time outside the barracks over the past six weeks amounts to roughly an hour. His daily breakfast consists of bread and butter, while lunch and dinner alternate between beans, bean soup, or noodles. Unreliable Wi-Fi has made communication with his family in the US difficult.
The young pilot has lost 9 kg since arriving, spending 99% of his time reading, including Isaac Asimov's science fiction series Foundation, about a group of exiles on a distant planet. "I feel very lonely and isolated here," he told American media.
Guo mentioned that the Chilean soldiers taught him some Spanish, "mostly swear words," he recounted with a laugh.
The aspiring pilot celebrated his 20th birthday in July amidst the Antarctic landscape. The Chilean soldiers presented Guo with some chocolate and a simple cake, a gesture that touched him deeply.
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Guo's Cessna 182Q Skylane landed at Chile's Rodolfo Marsh base in Antarctica on 28/6. Photo: Reuters |
Guo's Cessna 182Q Skylane landed at Chile's Rodolfo Marsh base in Antarctica on 28/6. Photo: Reuters
An agreement with the Chilean prosecutor's office on 11/8 allowed Guo to avoid trial. The terms require him to donate 30,000 USD to a children's cancer fund within 30 days, leave Chile as soon as possible, and face a three-year entry ban. However, the question remains: how will the young pilot leave Antarctica and complete his round-the-world flight?
Antarctica is currently in mid-winter, with snow and ice, strong winds, and temperatures consistently below 0 degrees Celsius. Chilean authorities deem flying across the Drake Passage, the turbulent body of water between Antarctica and South America, too dangerous at this time.
They have prohibited Guo from flying his Cessna off the island due to the aircraft's lack of life jackets, a valid life raft, and a de-icing system. The remaining fuel onboard is also insufficient for a return to Punta Arenas.
Commercial flights will only resume after the Southern Hemisphere winter ends, leaving the only current options as chartering a ship or a special flight at a high cost.
"I am fighting for the right to fly and continue my fundraising journey. But nothing is certain yet," Guo said.
Thanh Danh (AP)
