The son of a former Chelsea footballer and his friend died in the United Arab Emirates after a walk in a desert valley amid high temperatures.
The bodies of Cassius Newton, 34, from Poole in Dorset, and 33-year-old Aran Martinson, from Essexwere discovered on July 18 by rescuers in the ‘completely mountainous area’ of Wadi Naqab.
They both lived in the luxury resort of Ras Al Khaimah at the time, Dubaiafter moving to the UAE for work, they heard their respective inquests when they opened separately in Chelmsford on Thursday.
Mr Newton, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea star and assistant manager Eddie Newton.
Essex coroner Michelle Brown said Mr Newton ‘decided to take a walk with a friend through a desert valley in the morning, around 7am.
“His wife expressed concern as she had not heard from him as she was in Britain and reported him missing,” the coroner said.
“It appears they followed a route that is a recreational route and did not require hiking equipment.”
The court heard temperatures are believed to have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.
Cassius Newton, 34, from Poole in Dorset, was found dead with his friend in Wadi Naqab, Dubai, on July 18.
Father-of-three Aran Martinson, 33, from Essex, was found just yards away from his friend
“Mr Newton was found by a search party approximately three to four kilometers from the vehicle,” she said.
He was found ‘lying on his back with stones surrounding him’.
The coroner said he was ‘350 yards away from his friend’.
Both men were taken to hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, where their deaths were confirmed later that day.
The preliminary medical cause of death for both men was recorded as cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Severely rising body temperatures and heat stress caused by exposure to high temperatures were factors in their deaths.
Opening the inquest into Mr Martinson, Ms Brown said he ‘worked for a global company and was based in the UAE’.
She said he went for a walk around 7am on July 18 and was found by a search team deployed “when his friend was reported missing”.
“He was found on the left side of the road with stones around him,” the coroner said.
In a post on LinkedIn, Mr Martinson’s wife said: ‘He was incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious, and he took enormous pride in what he did.
“He had only recently started a new chapter in his career, and I know how excited he was about it.”
She added that he was her “best friend” and wrote that the father of three “funny, kind, loyal, determined and someone who could make people laugh wherever he went.”
Mr Newton was described as a ‘talented’ amateur footballer who had played for several teams
Eddie Newton, father of Cassius Newton, pictured in 1995 playing for Chelsea FC
Tributes were also paid to Mr Newton, including from his former club Blackfield & Langley FC, who said in a social media post that ‘our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends at this difficult time’.
Eastleigh Football Club, with which he was previously signed, said it was ‘deeply saddened’ to hear of his death.
Those who knew him described Mr Newton as a “top, top player” and “so young and talented”. Another wrote that it was “absolutely devastating news.”
His father, Eddie Newton, made more than 200 appearances for Chelsea FC after joining the club as a teenager.
He famously scored the second goal in Chelsea’s 2–0 win over Middlesbrough in the 1997 FA Cup final and played for Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet before retiring in 2001.
Eddie was also assistant coach under Roberto Di Matteo when Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League in 2012.
The coroner has postponed both inquests to a date to be determined, saying it is likely that both will proceed as documentary hearings, with evidence consisting entirely of written material.
