With Second Boeing Whistleblower's Death, What Lies Ahead For The Remaining Ten?

Following the sudden and mysterious deaths of two Boeing whistleblowers, Joshua Dean and John Barnett, concerns regarding the safety of 10 other whistleblowers have arisen.

Attorneys representing the two deceased individuals, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, are concerned that the remaining whistleblowers may face intimidation and withdraw their assertions about the aircraft manufacturer.

Dean, a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems responsible for assembling fuselage sections for Boeing, succumbed to a rapidly progressing mysterious infection. Meanwhile, Barnett, who served as a production-quality manager for Boeing's 787, passed away from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"These men were heroes. So are all the whistleblowers. They loved the company and wanted to help the company do better. They didn't speak out to be aggravating or for fame. They're raising concerns because people's lives are at stake," attorney Knowles told the New York Post.

"I knew John Barnett for seven years and never saw anything that would indicate he would take his own life. Then again, I've never dealt with someone who did (commit suicide.) So maybe you don't see the signs. I don't know," he added.

In 2019, John Barnett and a dozen other workers blew the whistle on Boeing in a New York Times story, claiming its manufacturing processes prioritized speed over public safety.

Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, meanwhile raised several serious concerns about the company’s safety standards and manufacturing processes. He was one of the first whistleblowers to allege that Spirit leadership had ignored significant manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX.

Moreover, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour accused the company of taking shortcuts in the construction of its 787 and 777 aircrafts. He claimed he was “threatened with termination” after raising concerns with bosses.

Recent audits have also confirmed that quality control issues exist at Boeing. The Federal Aviation Administration released the results of a recent investigation showing numerous non-compliance issues.