𝗕𝗼𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱

A former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm’s production standards has been found dead in the US. In the days before his death, he had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company. The 62-year-old had died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound”

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗛𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴:

– Workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line

– He uncovered serious problems with oxygen systems, which could mean one in four breathing masks would not work in an emergency.

– He became concerned that the push to get new aircrafts built meant the assembly process was rushed and safety was compromised.

– He said workers had failed to follow procedures intended to track components through the factory, allowing defective components to go missing.

– He said sub-standard parts had even been removed from scrap bins and fitted to planes that were being built to prevent delays on the production line. Mr Barnett said he had alerted managers to his concerns, but no action had been taken. At the time of his death, Mr Barnett had been in Charleston for legal interviews linked to that case.