Boeing whistleblower found dead in US

A former Boeing employee, known for raising his concerns regarding the company’s production standards, has been found dead in the US.

John Barnett dedicated 32 years of service to Boeing before retiring in 2017. In the days leading up to his passing, he had been providing testimony in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company.

The Charleston County coroner officially confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday, revealing that the 62-year-old had died due to a “self-inflicted” wound on March 9, with law enforcement currently investigating the circumstances.

During his tenure with the U.S. aviation giant, Barnett served as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant, responsible for producing the 787 Dreamliner, a cutting-edge aircraft predominantly used for long-haul flights.

Barnett had a formal deposition last week, he was due to undergo more questioning on Saturday. When he did not appear, enquiries were made at his hotel. 

He was subsequently found dead in his truck in the hotel car park. 

His death comes at a time when production standards at both Boeing and its key supplier Spirit Aerosystems are under intense scrutiny.