Cassius Newton died in desert hike after ignoring wife's warning
Cassius Newton, son of ex-Chelsea footballer Eddie Newton, died in a 40C UAE desert hike despite his wife's pleas not to go.
Cassius Newton, 34, called his wife at 2am to say he and friend Aran Martinson would hike in the Wadi Naqab mountains in the United Arab Emirates. His wife asked him not to go.
His wife knew it would be extremely hot, about 40C, and he had been out the night before without much sleep and had not fully charged his phone. The two men set off at 7am anyway.
Rescue teams found the body of Newton, from Poole, in the mountainous region hours later. Martinson, from Hertfordshire, was also found dead.
Both had walked only 3 to 4 kilometres from where they parked. The coroner, Michelle Brown, ruled their deaths were the result of misadventure.
Brown said: "This was an intentional trip with unintended consequences." Both men died from severe heat stress that caused organ failure.
- 40C (104F) in the desert
- Temperature
- 3 to 4 kilometres from parking spot
- Distance walked
- 18 July
- Date discovered
- 350 metres
- Bodies apart
Why it mattersThe inquest ruled it misadventure, finding both men died from severe heat stress that caused organ failure.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect, but it underscores the danger Australians face when hiking in similar heat in the Middle East or inland.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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