*SPOILERS!*
The same could be said about Biggs, Wedge and Jessie too, though. You only saw them wounded, but you never saw them die. The point about Barret saying they're dead is so-so since even Heidegger says (about Rufus), "The President is dead! Now I'm doing things my way! Ghaa haah hah hah!" I'm not saying Biggs, Wedge and Jessie survived, but if SE wanted to make a twist like that, it definitely wouldn't be anything new.