Internet finds it 'fishy' as Boeing whistleblower is found dead amid deposition against airline giant

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: The internet thinks something is fishy after a former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the company's production standards was found dead.

John Barnett, 62, had worked for Boeing for 32 years, until his retirement in 2017, Fox Business reports. 

How did John Barnett die? 

The whistleblower who publicly raised doubts about Boeing's production standards was found dead.

The Charleston County Coroner's Office told Fox News Digital that John Barnett died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Saturday, March 9.

Barnett's own counsel and Boeing's attorneys cross-examined him just days before his death. Barnett was scheduled to appear in court on March 9 to answer additional questions, but he did not show up.

The BBC reported that he was later found dead in his truck, which was parked in a hotel parking garage.

In 2019, Barnett claimed that Boeing would risk safety to get its 787 Dreamliner aircraft off the assembly line. According to him, there was a 25 per cent failure rate in the emergency oxygen systems designed for the 787 Dreamliners.

This meant that a quarter of the 787 Dreamliners could quickly run out of oxygen if the cabins abruptly decompressed, suffocating people. Barnett said these problems arose when he began working at the Boeing factory in North Charleston in 2010.

He reportedly voiced his concerns to his managers, but they took no action. Some of Barnett's allegations were supported by the Federal Aviation Administration's assessment of Boeing in 2017 and subsequent requests for the company to take corrective action.

Boeing told FOX Business that the company was saddened by Barnett's death. "We are saddened by Mr Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends," Boeing's statement read. 

Internet suspicious of John Barnett's death 

Barnett's death stirred various comments by social media users. A Facebook user opined, "I'm sure there are surveillance cameras outside the hotel that will show what happened." 

Another user wrote, "Tragic." A user wrote on Facebook, "Sounds kind of fishy to me.." The next user wrote, "Someone had him killed for sure". 

One user went on saying, "No way that man did that to himself." While another user said, "The home of conspiracy theories lol." 

On X, a user said, "No one is killing themselves after finally retiring after 32 years of hard work. No one."

Another user added, "I will be curious to see what the investigation turns up. One thing is for sure, Boeing has been having some serious issues lately with their 737s."

Another one speculated, "There are no coincidences. Barnett was kįlled to silence him. Mark my word."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.