Boeing whistleblower found dead in South Carolina
A former employee of Boeing who blew the whistle on safety problems at the company has been found dead.
John Barnett, who had worked at the US planemaker for just over three decades, had been giving evidence in a lawsuit against his former employer.
He was found dead from “self-inflicted wounds” in his truck in a hotel park, it has been widely reported. The death was confirmed by the Charleston County Coroner on Monday.
The 62-year old had exposed issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process, alleging that some employees had knowingly fitted substandard parts to aircrafts on the production line. He had also claimed tests on emergency oxygen systems due for fitting to the 787 had a failure rate of 25 per cent.
Boeing has denied his assertions. In a statement to the BBC, the planemaker said: “We are saddened by Mr Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
The former quality control manager’s death comes as Boeing faces intense backlash over its safety processes following a major incident earlier this year.
An Alaska Airlines flight was forced into an emergency landing in January after a section of the aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max-9, fell off at 16,000 feet.
Hundreds of jets were grounded as a result and the incident prompted an investigation from the Federal Aviation Admistration.
The regulator’s inquiry was published last week and found “multiple instances” in which Boeing had allegedly “failed to comply” with manufacturing standards.
A criminal investigation has been launched by the US Department for Justice.
The company, whose headquarters are based in Arlington, Virginia, has reported a string of production issues with its iconic 737 Max aircrafts in recent years, which have hampered deliveries and financial performance.
Boeing shares have fallen around 25 per cent in 2024 following the Alaska Airlines incident.