The son of former Chelsea midfielder Eddie Newton, Cassius Newton, has died during a desert hike in the United Arab Emirates. He was 34 years old. Cassius Newton and his friend, Aran Martinson, from Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, embarked on a hike in the mountainous region of Wadi Naqab on July 18. The hike was described as a recreational activity that did not require any special equipment.
According to an inquest at Essex Coroner's Court, Newton had called his wife earlier that day to inform her of their planned hike. She had expressed concerns about the extreme heat, which was expected to reach 40C, and also mentioned that he had not had much sleep the previous night and might not have charged his phone sufficiently. Despite her pleas for him not to go, Newton and Martinson proceeded with the hike, starting at around 07:00 local time.
The hike was supposed to be a circular route that would take about four hours to complete. However, Newton and Martinson did not return, and their wives raised the alarm when they failed to make contact. Rescue teams were launched, and the bodies of the two men were found between 3km and 4km from where they had parked their vehicle. Their bodies were discovered 350m apart, lying on their backs surrounded by large rocks.
The area coroner, Michelle Brown, ruled that the deaths of Newton and Martinson were the result of misadventure. She stated that the hike was an intentional trip with unintended consequences. The coroner's court heard that Newton and Martinson had met through their work at a global company and both lived in the luxury resort of Ras Al Khaimah, to the north-east of Dubai.
The cause of death for both men was determined to be severe rising body temperatures, which led to organ failure. The temperature in the desert that day was reported to be 40C, although a previous hearing had mentioned a temperature of 50C. Eddie Newton, the father of Cassius, flew to the UAE to identify his son's body.
Tributes were paid to both men, with Chelsea describing Cassius Newton as a former academy player and expressing their devastation at his death. Martinson's wife wrote online that her husband was incredibly driven, hardworking, and ambitious. The incident has highlighted the risks associated with hiking in extreme temperatures and the importance of taking necessary precautions.
The inquest also heard that Newton was a father of three, and his family and friends are likely to be dealing with the aftermath of this tragic event. The authorities and rescue teams acted swiftly to locate the bodies, but unfortunately, they were unable to prevent the tragic outcome.
Key points
- Cassius Newton, son of former Chelsea player Eddie Newton, died during a desert hike in 40C temperatures.
- Newton and his friend, Aran Martinson, were found dead in the mountainous region of Wadi Naqab, UAE.
- The cause of death was determined to be severe rising body temperatures leading to organ failure.
