John Barnett, a former Boeing employee who had reportedly raised concerns about the company's production issues, was found dead of an apparent suicide, according to authorities in South Carolina. Photo: REUTERS/Jason Redmond/File

The 62-year-old John Barnett died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Charleston County coroner's office in South Carolina confirmed on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Barnett had worked at Boeing for 32 years before leaving the company in 2017, according to the BBC, which previously reported on his efforts to raise issues about the company's production issues.

The 62-year-old died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Charleston County coroner's office in South Carolina confirmed on Tuesday. The Charleston City police are investigating, the coroner's office said, without giving any other details.

Boeing, in a statement, said: “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Barnett's attorney, Brian Knowles, did not respond to requests for comment. He told the publication Corporate Crime Reporter that Barnett had been in the middle of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane.

Barnett had spoken to media outlets following the Jan. 5 incident on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane, when a panel blew out while the flight was in mid-air, exposing passengers to the outside air that required an emergency landing.

Boeing has since had to reckon with a full-blown crisis around its safety and quality standards. Its production has been curbed by U.S. regulators, leading to delivery delays across the aerospace industry.