A whistleblower who accused a Boeing supplier of turning a blind eye to defects has died after a sudden illness: reports
KWAN WEI KEVIN TAN
Updated May 2, 2024 at 4:40 AM
Joshua Dean accused the Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems of ignoring manufacturing defects in the 737 Max.Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images
- Joshua Dean was a quality auditor at the Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems.
- Dean died on Tuesday, months after testifying against his former employer.
- In March, a Boeing whistleblower was found dead with what appeared to be a "self-inflicted gunshot wound."
A whistleblower who accused a Boeing supplier of ignoring
manufacturing defects on the 737 Max died on Tuesday.
The former Spirit AeroSystems employee Joshua Dean, 45, died after contracting a sudden illness,
The Seattle Times reported on Wednesday. Dean's aunt, Carol Parsons, told the outlet that Dean went to the hospital after he had trouble breathing some two weeks ago.
Parsons said her nephew was intubated, and his condition began to worsen. Dean developed pneumonia and
MRSA, a serious bacterial infection, The Seattle Times reported.
"Our thoughts are with Josh Dean's family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones," Joe Buccino, a spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems, told The Seattle Times.
Dean testified against Spirit in a
shareholder lawsuit last year, with the former quality auditor accusing the company of poor quality control in the production of Boeing's 737 Max.