John Barnett, a former Boeing employee known for having publicly criticized the company's production standards, has died, according to the British BBC and the American news portal TMZ.
Both the BBC and TMZ, citing South Carolina authorities, indicate that the 62-year-old man died from what appears to be a self-inflicted wound on March 9, in an apparent suicide, although police continue to investigate the case. .
Barnett had worked for Boeing for 32 years, until his retirement in 2017, and in the days before his death, he had been testifying in a lawsuit against Boeing, according to the BBC, whose information has been replicated by American media such as The Hill and Fox.
Barnett came into the public sphere in 2019 by revealing to the BBC that Boeing had accelerated production of its 787 Dreamliner planes, putting passenger safety at risk.
According to him, the emergency oxygen systems designed for the 787 Dreamliners had a 25% failure rate. This meant that one in four 787 Dreamliners had the potential to rapidly lose oxygen in the event of a sudden cabin decompression, which could endanger passengers.
Barnett shared these details with the BBC based on his experience as a quality manager at a Boeing plant in North Charleston (South Carolina), where the 787 Dreamliners were produced, aircraft used especially for long-haul flights.
At the time, Boeing rejected his accusations. However, a review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supported some of the concerns raised by Barnett.
In a statement given to the BBC, Boeing expressed sadness at the death of its former employee.
"We are saddened by the death of Mr. Barnett and send our condolences to his family and friends," Boeign said, according to the British network.
For his part, speaking to the BBC, Barnett's lawyer described his death as "tragic."
At the time of his death, Barnett was in Charleston to testify in the case against Boeing.
Last week he had been questioned by both Boeing's lawyers and his own lawyers. He was scheduled to appear again on Saturday to answer more questions, but he did not attend the hearing.
He was later found dead in his truck in the parking lot of the hotel where he was staying, the Charleston County coroner told the BBC.
His death comes at a time when Boeing is under scrutiny by US authorities for the manufacturing process of the 737-9 (MAX) aircraft model, after an incident in January in which one of the panels fell off. in full flight.
