Cassius Newton, the 34-year-old son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, has died in the United Arab Emirates.
Newton and his 33-year-old friend, Aran Martinson, died on July 18 after setting out for a hike in Wadi Naqab, a mountainous desert valley, amid temperatures of around 40°C.
According to an inquest in Essex, Newton’s wife, who was in the UK, became concerned after she could no longer reach him and reported him missing.
A search team later found Newton several kilometres from their vehicle. The inquest heard that the pair had taken a recreational hiking route and were not carrying specialist hiking equipment.
Chelsea Football Club expressed its condolences, describing Cassius as a former academy player and extending its thoughts to his family and friends during the difficult time.
