Former Boeing employee found dead at home: He had been a whistleblower against the company

12PUNTO FOREIGN NEWS

John Barnett, a former Boeing employee who blew the whistle on safety issues in aircraft produced by the company, has been found dead at his home.

A coroner in South Carolina, USA, stated on Monday that 62-year-old Barnett died on Saturday from a "self-inflicted" wound.

BBC, which first reported the news of Barnett's death, stated that the former employee had recently given testimony in a whistleblower lawsuit filed against the company.

Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal issued a statement saying, "The City of Charleston Police Department is the investigating agency. No further details are available at this time."

Boeing, where Barnett worked for over thirty years until his retirement in 2017, expressed its condolences upon hearing the news of his death.

Boeing officials stated to Al Jazeera, "We are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends."

According to the BBC report, Brian Knowles, the lawyer representing Barnett in South Carolina, did not respond to requests for comment from media outlets.

In 2019, the BBC reported that Barnett had alleged that Boeing was intentionally installing faulty parts on aircraft and that passengers on 787 Dreamliner aircraft could be left without oxygen in the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure.

News Source: 12punto