Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead Amid Depositions As SCARY Flight Incidents Continue!

A former quality control manager at Boeing who was in the middle of key depositions against the company has been found dead.

John Barnett, a 62-year-old who made headlines internationally for calling out Boeing over allegedly cutting corners when it comes to safety, was found dead on Saturday. According to multiple local reports, police initially suspect his death to have been caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

That said, his lawyers are obviously extremely concerned over the timing of his death. He had worked for Boeing for nearly three decades before retiring in 2017. And he had been in Charleston this week in connection to his groundbreaking whistleblower lawsuit against the company, per BBC and others.

In a statement released to multiple media outlets, lawyers Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles noted:

“John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end. He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it. … John was a brave, honest man of the highest integrity. He cared dearly about his family, his friends, the Boeing company, his Boeing co-workers, and the pilots and people who flew on Boeing aircraft. We have rarely met someone with a more sincere and forthright character.”

And they continued:

“We need more information about what happened to John. The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned.”

Per BBC News, Barnett had given a formal deposition under oath last week. He was also scheduled to be questioned by Boeing’s corporate lawyers once again on Saturday. Boeing released their own statement about the man’s unsettling death:

“We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

The Charleston Police Department is already well aware of the implications of his passing. Per WCIV News, Sergeant Anthony Gibson of the CPD acknowledged that Barnett’s death has garnered “global attention,” and said it is cops’ priority to ensure the investigation “is not influenced by speculation but is led by facts and evidence.” Gibson continued:

“Given the sensitive nature of the investigation, we are unable to participate in media interviews at this time. This stance is not unique to this case but is a standard procedure we adhere to in order to preserve the integrity of active investigations.”

No kidding…

Barnett’s grieving family also released their own statement to NBC News. They cited the “hostile work environment at Boeing” as contributing to the man’s longtime battles with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. And they noted:

“John told us that every day was a battle to get management to do the right thing. He was looking forward to having his day in court and hoped that it would force Boeing to change its culture.”

FYI, Barnett first filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration back in January of 2017. In it, he accused Boeing executives of retaliating against him for speaking about employees allegedly being pressured to intentionally fit aircrafts with substandard parts on the production line. OSHA later determined there was no retaliation, but Barnett appealed the decision.

He later gave an infamous interview with BBC News in 2019 where he brought more of his accusations to light. Among them, he voiced his concerns about Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Barnett claimed that, due to shoddy manufacturing and lax quality control, roughly one in four breathing masks on those planes would not work properly in a mid-air emergency.

Barnett’s death has come amid serious scrutiny into Being’s questionable track record. As you may recall, back in January, a door blew off of an Alaska Airlines plane made by Boeing while it was in mid-flight. And their 737 Max line is notorious; it’s even reported an FAA audit found “dozens of issues” with their production.

Just this week, on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand, a total of 50 people were injured when the jet experienced a “strong shake” while high in the sky.

One passenger on board the LATAM Airlines Flight 800 named Brian Jokat told NBC News that the plane abruptly took a “nosedive” down while in the air. He claimed it was so bad that people were thrown multiple rows back:

“Everything was going well. Then all of a sudden, the plane took a nosedive down. People were flying out of their seats, hitting the roof, being thrown back four or five aisles back.”

After the plane landed in Auckland, multiple passengers and crew members were hospitalized. Per NBC News, Jokat said the pilot told passengers that temporary equipment failure caused the drop. DAMN!

In a statement to the media about the incident, the Chile-based airline explained:

“LATAM is working in coordination with the respective authorities to support the investigations into the incident.”

As for Boeing, the corporation tepidly noted:

“We are thinking of the passengers and crew from LATAM Airlines Flight 800, and we commend everyone involved in the response effort. We are in contact with our customer, and Boeing stands ready to support investigation-related activities as requested.”

Hmmm…

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, by calling, texting, or chatting, or go to 988lifeline.org.

[Image via DW News/YouTube]