Former Boeing employee John Barnett, known for raising concerns about the company’s production standards, has been found dead in the US shortly after giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing, BBC reports.
Barnett, who retired from Boeing in 2017 after 32 years of service, had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company before his death. He alleged that pressure on workers led to sub-standard parts being fitted to aircraft, and identified serious issues with the oxygen systems on the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing denied his allegations, but a 2017 FAA review supported some of his concerns.
Barnett’s death occurred while he was in Charleston for legal interviews related to his case. His lawyer described his death as “tragic.” Boeing expressed sadness over his passing. Barnett’s death comes amid scrutiny of production standards at Boeing and its supplier, Spirit Aerosystems, following incidents such as the detachment of an emergency exit door on a Boeing 737 Max in January.
