20 hours ago
Last Updated:July 02, 2025, 09:46 IST
Teen pilot Ethan Guo was arrested in Antarctica for altering his flight plan without notifying air traffic control. He was on a mission to raise $1 million for cancer research.
Chinese-American pilot Ethan Guo (Image: Instagram)
A teenage pilot was arrested upon landing in Antarctica for modifying his flight plan without informing the respective air traffic control centres.
According to an Instagram post, the 19-year-old pilot, identified as Ethan Guo, is flying around the world, specifically to all 7 continents, to raise 1 million dollars for cancer research.
The Chinese-American pilot recently took off from Punta Arenas airport in Chile before modifying his flight plan. However, he did not notify the change of plan to the respective air traffic control centres of the airport, it was known.
Another social media post claimed that the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics termed the pilot’s flight an “unauthorised operation at the airfield in Antarctica" and said “it implied non-compliance with the Antarctic Statute".
Guo has over a million followers on Instagram. He started the mission after his cousin was diagnosed with cancer.
On his official website, Ethan Guo wrote, “I want to become the first person in history to fly solo to all seven continents in a small aircraft and raise $1 million for cancer research."
“My passion for aviation began at the age of 13. I earned my private pilot license at 17. I am IFR-rated, which means that I can fly using instruments alone, without visual ground reference," he mentioned.
“I have flown to all 48 contiguous US states and crossed the Atlantic three times, amassing over 700 hours of flight time," the teen pilot wrote.
On why he is raising money for cancer research, Ethan wrote, “In 2021, my cousin was diagnosed with cancer. I admire him. He inspired me to take life more seriously and join the fight against cancer."
“I want to use every opportunity to raise awareness of childhood cancer and the necessity to increase research efforts to find prevention and treatment methods," his website mentions.
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Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
News world Teen Pilot, On Mission To Raise Money, Held In Antarctica For Modifying Plan Without Notifying ATC
