Another whistleblower who publicly spoke out about safety issues with Boeing planes has died, less than two months after fellow whistleblower John Barnett died from a gunshot wound police have yet to finish investigating.
Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and one of the first to allege wilful ignorance of manufacturing defects on the notorious 737 MAX, died after a “short and sudden illness”, the Seattle Times reports.
The 45-year-old was reportedly “known for a healthy lifestyle” but fell ill and was admitted to hospital a little over two weeks ago due to breathing difficulties. He was subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia and a severe bacterial infection known as MRSA.
Despite various treatments, his condition worsened rapidly before it was revealed he had suffered a stroke, and Dean’s mother posted on Facebook on April 26 that he was “fighting for his life”.
He died Tuesday morning (local time), the Seattle Times quotes his aunt Carol Parsons as confirming. A Spirit spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones.”
Dean and Barnett were both represented by the same legal company in South Carolina.
After Barnett died from a gunshot wound in Charleston, the same South Carolina city Boeing has its 787 manufacturing facility, the coroner reported his death appeared to be “self-inflicted”; but the police are yet to complete their investigation into his death.
Hellbound and Down 
HRC – “self-inflicted” syndrome
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