The son of former Chelsea midfielder Eddie Newton has died during a desert hike in the United Arab Emirates, an inquest has heard.
Cassius 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, 33, also died after the pair set out on the hike at about 07:00 local time.
According to BBC News, Essex Coroner’s Court heard that Newton had called his wife at around 02:00 to inform her of their plans, but she urged him not to go because of the extreme heat.
Area coroner Michelle Brown said temperatures in the area could reach about 40C, with conditions feeling even hotter in the canyons.
“She knew it would be very hot and it can get to about 40C, and the feeling is higher because it’s in the canyons,” Brown said.
The coroner also noted that Newton had been out the previous night and might not have had enough sleep or charged his phone sufficiently.
Rescue efforts were launched after the wives of both men contacted authorities when they failed to hear from them for several hours.
The bodies were found between 3km and 4km from where the men had parked their vehicle, with the two bodies lying about 350 metres apart.
Both men were found on their backs surrounded by large rocks and were taken to a hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, where they were pronounced dead.
Brown ruled that the deaths were the result of misadventure, describing the incident as “an intentional trip with unintended consequences.”
She said the route was a recreational hike that required no specialist equipment and would normally take about four hours, adding that the cause of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest, severe rising body temperature, organ failure and heat stress due to exposure to high temperatures.
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