Boeing whistleblower John Barnett dies before key testimony
John Barnett, a former Boeing quality control manager who became a whistleblower over safety concerns, has died just days before he was due to testify in a new investigation into the 737 Max crashes.
Barnett, 62, was found dead in South Carolina on Saturday with a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Charleston County Coroner's Office.
The death is being investigated as a suicide, the coroner's office said.
Barnett was due to testify this week before a US House of Representatives committee investigating the crashes of two 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019, which killed 346 people.
He had previously testified in a congressional hearing in 2019, where he raised concerns about the company's production standards and its relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Barnett's death has raised questions about whether he was the victim of a cover-up or whether he took his own life out of fear of further retaliation.
Boeing has said it is "deeply saddened" by Barnett's death and is cooperating with the investigation.
The company has faced intense scrutiny over the 737 Max crashes, and its former CEO Dennis Muilenburg was fired in 2019.
The FAA has also been criticized for its oversight of Boeing and has taken steps to strengthen its regulations.
The 737 Max was grounded worldwide for 20 months after the crashes, but was cleared to fly again in November 2020.
However, the plane has been plagued by further problems since then, including a recent electrical issue that caused the grounding of dozens of aircraft.
Barnett's death is a reminder of the human cost of the 737 Max crashes and the ongoing safety concerns surrounding the aircraft.
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