Boeing whistleblower death prompts calls for probes
Former quality inspector raised concerns about safety before 737 Max crashes
By Theo Leggett, Business correspondent, BBC News
The death of a prominent Boeing whistleblower who raised concerns about the company's quality control has prompted calls for investigations into his death and the safety of Boeing's aircraft. The former quality inspector, who has not been publicly identified, died in a car crash in Washington state on Friday. His death comes less than two months after the death of another whistleblower, Ed Barnett, who had also raised concerns about Boeing's safety practices.
Barnett was found dead in his truck in the parking lot of his home in Missouri on December 29. The cause of his death has not yet been determined, but his family has said they believe he was murdered. Boeing has said it is cooperating with the investigations into both deaths.
The deaths of the two whistleblowers have raised concerns about the safety of Boeing's aircraft. The company has been under intense scrutiny since two 737 Max planes crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing a total of 346 people. The crashes were caused by a design flaw in the plane's software, which caused the planes to dive nose-down. Boeing has since fixed the software flaw, but the crashes have led to a loss of confidence in the company and its aircraft.
The deaths of the two whistleblowers have added to the concerns about Boeing's safety practices. The whistleblowers had both raised concerns about the company's quality control, and their deaths have raised questions about whether Boeing is doing enough to ensure the safety of its aircraft.
The calls for investigations into the deaths of the two whistleblowers are growing louder. The US Congress is considering holding hearings on the matter, and the Department of Justice is reportedly investigating the deaths.
Boeing has said it is committed to safety and that it is cooperating with the investigations into the deaths of the two whistleblowers. The company has also said that it is taking steps to improve its quality control processes.
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