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Cassius Newton, son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, has died after embarking on a desert hike in the United Arab Emirates despite his wife’s warning about the extreme heat.
Newton, 34, was found dead in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region of the UAE on July 18, hours after he last spoke with his wife.
His friend, Aran Martinson, also died during the hike after the pair set out at about 7am local time.
An inquest at Essex Coroner’s Court heard that Newton called his wife around 2am to tell her about their plans, but she urged him not to go because of the expected heat.
Coroner Michelle Brown said temperatures in the area could reach 40C, with the canyon environment making conditions feel even hotter. She also noted that Newton had been out the previous night and may not have had enough sleep or sufficient phone battery.
Rescue efforts began after the wives of both men contacted authorities when they failed to hear from them for several hours. Their bodies were later found between 3km and 4km from where they had parked their vehicle, about 350 metres apart.
Both men were found lying on their backs among large rocks and were taken to a hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, where they were pronounced dead.
Brown ruled the deaths as misadventure, describing the incident as “an intentional trip with unintended consequences”. She said the recreational route normally took about four hours and did not require specialist equipment.
The inquest heard that both men died from severe increases in body temperature, resulting in organ failure. Newton had recently moved to Ras Al Khaimah, where he lived with his wife, while Martinson had also recently relocated to the UAE.
Eddie Newton, who played for Chelsea and later served two spells as the club’s assistant manager, travelled to the UAE to identify his son’s body. Chelsea said it was “devastated” by Cassius’ death, while Martinson’s wife described her late husband as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”.
