Ex-Chelsea star’s son dies during desert hike in UAE

The son of former Chelsea midfielder Eddie Newton died during a desert hike in the United Arab Emirates, despite his wife's pleas not to go, an inquest has revealed. Cassius Newton, 34, was found dead in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region on July 18, hours after his last conversation with his wife. His friend, Aran Martinson, also succumbed to the ordeal, dying shortly after Newton.

Essex Coroner's Court heard that Newton called his wife around 02:00 to inform her of their hiking plans, but she cautioned him against it due to the extreme heat, which could soar up to 40C, feeling hotter in the canyons. The coroner, Michelle Brown, noted that Newton might not have had enough sleep or charged his phone, as he had been out the previous night.

Rescue efforts were initiated when the women of both men failed to hear from them for several hours. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from where their vehicle was parked, approximately 350 meters apart. Both men were found on their backs near large rocks and were transported to a hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, where they were pronounced dead.

Brown ruled the deaths as a result of misadventure, describing the incident as "an intentional trip with unintended consequences." The route was a recreational hike that typically took about four hours with no specialized equipment required. Text messages between Martinson and his wife also indicated their distress; she texted him at 09:26, "You must be cooking," when she hadn't heard from him for some time.

Brown concluded that both men died from severe increases in body temperature, leading to organ failure. Eddie Newton, who played for Chelsea and later served as the club's assistant manager, traveled to the UAE to identify his son's body. Chelsea expressed its devastation over Cassius Newton's death, while Martinson's wife paid tribute to her husband, describing him as "incredibly driven, hardworking, and ambitious."