Key facts
- Cassius Newton, son of ex-Chelsea player Eddie Newton, died during a desert hike.
- Newton and his friend Aran Martinson died on July 18 in the Wadi Naqab region of the UAE.
- Temperatures reached 40C (104F) during the hike.
- Rescue teams found their bodies 3km to 4km from their parked vehicle.
- The coroner ruled their deaths were the result of misadventure.
Cassius Newton, 34, the son of former Chelsea player Eddie Newton, died during a desert hike in the United Arab Emirates on July 18, an inquest heard. His friend, Aran Martinson, also died from severe rising body temperatures in the sweltering heat. Rescue teams found their bodies in the mountainous region of Wadi Naqab hours after they last spoke. Temperatures reached 40C (104F) during the trek.
Newton had informed his wife of the planned hike around 2 a.m., and she had asked him not to go, knowing the extreme heat and that he had been out the night before. The route was described as a recreational hike that did not require special equipment and was expected to take four hours.
Martinson's wife had messaged him around 9:26 a.m. saying, "You must be cooking." After not hearing from him five hours later, she expressed her distress. Both men were found lying on their backs, with their bodies 350 meters apart, between 3km and 4km from where they had parked their vehicle.
Area coroner Michelle Brown ruled their deaths were the result of misadventure, stating it was an "intentional trip with unintended consequences." Eddie Newton flew to the UAE to identify his son's body. Chelsea Football Club expressed devastation at the news of Newton's death, noting he had played for the club's academy.