A whistleblower has come forward with alarming allegations about the safety of Boeing's (NYSE:BA) 787 Dreamliner planes, claiming that the company ignored his warnings.
What Happened: Richard Cuevas, a mechanic at Strom, a contractor for Boeing's manufacturing partner Spirit Aerosystems, has accused the company of unsafe manufacturing practices that could have "devastating consequences," CNN reported on Wednesday.
He claims to have witnessed improperly drilled holes in the forward pressure bulkheads of 787 planes at Spirit's Wichita, Kansas, facility in 2023.
Cuevas reported these issues to Boeing and Spirit in October, but according to the complaints, he was fired from the company a few months later.
He further claims that these issues could affect at least 10 to 12 planes in production or already delivered to Boeing. This is not the first time such issues have been raised, with a previous whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, also reporting similar gaps in 787 and 777 aircraft.
"A subcontractor's employee previously reported concerns to us that we thoroughly investigated as we take seriously any safety-related matter," Boeing said in a statement. "Engineering analysis determined that the issues raised did not present a safety concern and were addressed."
Why It Matters: This latest whistleblower allegation comes at a time when Boeing is already under intense scrutiny. Recently, Boeing CEO David Calhoun was questioned by U.S. senators about the company's safety measures amid ongoing investigations.
Furthermore, Elon Musk recently criticized Boeing's leadership, suggesting that the lack of engineers in top positions is a significant factor in the company's ongoing crises.
Musk's comments came amid reports that U.S. prosecutors are urging the Department of Justice to bring criminal charges against Boeing for allegedly failing to adhere to a 2021 settlement related to two fatal plane crashes involving its 737 Max jets.
Adding to the company's woes, Boeing has also faced issues with its Starliner spacecraft. The return flight of the Starliner, which docked with the ISS on Jun. 6, has been postponed twice, leading to speculation about the astronauts' safety. Boeing has dismissed these claims, asserting that the spacecraft is "performing well" and the astronauts can return to Earth if necessary.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote