Over a month after his arrest, 19-year-old U.S. pilot and social media influencer Ethan Guo is still being detained in Antarctica by Chilean authorities.
Guo was arrested after landing on the Chilean Antarctic territory of King George Island on June 29. The government’s prosecutors allege he altered his previously approved flight plans and strayed off course toward Antarctica following his takeoff from Carlos Ibanez del Campo Airport (SCCI) in Punta Arenas, Chile, that day.
The pilot was flying a Cessna 182Q registered as N182WT as part of a solo trip around the world to fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s cancer research and awareness efforts.
Since then, Guo has remained at a military base in the Antarctic Chilean territory, according to a CBS News report.
He hasn’t been forced to stay there—the court only restricted him from leaving Chile—but dangerous weather in the region has restricted flights from transporting him back to the South American country.
Guo’s Cessna also “does not have the capabilities to make a flight,” Chilean prosecutor Christian Cristoso told reporters on Monday.
Charges against Guo were dropped on Monday per an agreement made with prosecutors to avoid a trial. The deal requires Guo donate $30,000 to a children’s cancer foundation within 30 days, and he must leave Chile once it’s safe to do so.
He will also be banned from reentering Chilean territory for three years.
Guo told the Associated Press via text message that he was “relieved by the outcome” after Monday’s agreement.
