American teenager arrested after illegally flying to Antarctica
Authorities in Chile allege Ethan Guo, 19, broke 'multiple national and international regulations' after changing a flight plan without informing officials and landing in part of the Antarctic where it has a territorial claim.
'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,' Mr Guo writes on his website.
He adds: '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.'
CNN said that last weekend Mr Guo submitted a flight plan and took off from Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. He was the only person on the Cessna 182Q aircraft.
At some point, he started veering off course towards Antarctica.
'[He] continued toward Antarctica without informing anyone and without any authorisation, landing at the airfield of Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base in Chilean Antarctic territory,' Cristian Crisosto Rifo, the regional prosecutor of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, said in a statement.
He added: 'With this behaviour, the accused seriously endangered the safety of air traffic to Antarctica and the Magallanes region.'
Mr Cristoso said as soon as he landed in the Antarctic, the young man was held and charged.
'The accused not only violated the Aeronautical Code but also multiple national and international regulations regarding routes to Antarctica and access to the white continent,' said Mr Crisosto.
Mr Guo's lawyer, Karina Ulloa, told reporters that while in the air, her client 'began to experience a series of complications'.
Officials have ordered a 90-day investigation, during which time Mr Guo must remain in the region.
Mr Guo, who was born in China but lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, says on his website his 'passion for aviation began at the age of 13'.
'I earned my private pilot licence at 17,' he adds. 'I am IFR-rated, which means that I can fly using instruments alone, without visual ground reference. I have flown to all 48 contiguous US states and crossed the Atlantic three times, amassing over 700 hours of flight time.'
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