Two former Boeing-related workers who raised safety concerns have died recently, sparking questions and sadness.
Joshua Dean, 45, a quality auditor at a Boeing supplier, passed away after a brief illness. This comes just weeks after another whistleblower, John Barnett, died by suicide.
Dean reportedly raised concerns about manufacturing defects on the 737 Max planes with his employer, Spirit AeroSystems. He claimed they failed to address the issues.
While not directly involved in a lawsuit, Dean is mentioned in a shareholder case against Spirit. The lawsuit alleges Spirit covered up the defect Dean reported, which could have compromised plane safety.
Dean was fired in April 2023, which he believed was retaliation for speaking out.
John Barnett, a 62-year-old former Boeing employee, died by suicide in March. He had previously raised concerns about potential safety issues with the 787 Dreamliner.
The stress of raising safety concerns and facing potential retaliation may have played a role in Dean’s death, according to his attorney.
The aviation industry has suffered a loss with both fatalities, and questions concerning the treatment of whistleblowers are raised.
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