Boeing whistleblower Joshua Dean, 44, who accused supplier of ignoring safety flaws in 737 Max production dies suddenly almost two months after airline’s former quality control manager John Barnett took his own life [Video]

06:37 EDT 02 May 2024, updated 10:03 EDT 02 May 2024

A Boeing whistleblower who raised the alarm about defects in 737 Max jets has died suddenly at the age of 44. 

Joshua Dean previously said he was fired from his job as a quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems for questioning standards at the supplier’s plant in Wichita, Kansas.

Spirit manufactured the door plug on the Boeing jet which shockingly blew out midair on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. 

Dean died in hospital on Tuesday after a sudden illness, his family said on social media. He was fired from Spirit AeroSystems in April 2023. 

Earlier this year, Dean spoke with NPR about being fired. ‘I think they were sending out a message to anybody else. If you are too loud, we will silence you,’ he said.