Delta recovers emergency slide that separated from Boeing plane
USA TodayMay 01
Second Boeing Whistleblower Dies Suddenly
Image copyright: Kent Nishimura/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A second whistleblower in connection with the safety issues surrounding the manufacturing of Boeing aircraft has died after a sudden illness, the man's family said on Tuesday.
Joshua Dean, 45, formerly a quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, was among the first to raise concerns about manufacturing defects in 737 MAX planes. He gave testimony to a lawsuit and filed a formal complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This was a tragic death and sincere condolences go out to Dean's family. However, it would be foolish to speculate about the timing and circumstances of his death without sufficient evidence. There is currently no proof of any foul play.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is now the second death of a whistleblower in connection with this case. Both men were due to provide more evidence of the faulty manufacturing processes and their deaths at this time are deeply suspicious. The circumstances around these deaths need to be fully investigated.