Aqua Lung Diving Vest Recall Issued Due to Drowning Risk

About 110,000 diver’s buoyancy compensators have been recalled due to a potential risk that the handles may tear from the vest and disable the diver from removing weighted pockets that are used to rise to the surface in emergency situations.  

An Aqua Lung Buoyancy Compensator recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on March 21, after Aqua Lung received at least 236 reports of the handles detaching from the weighted pockets.

The vest are equipped with rubber handles on the pockets that have weights in them to allow the diver to descend easily. The hazard stems from the rubber handles ripping, preventing the diver from removing the weights, which can pose an increased drowning hazard when the diver needs to surface. However, to date, no reports of injury or drowning have been reported in connection with the defect.

The recall includes all of the following Aqua Lung buoyancy compensators with SureLock II rubber handles attached to the weight pockets; Axiom, Axiom i3, Balance, Black Diamond, Dimension, Libra, Lotus, Pearl, Pearl i3, Pro LT, Pro QD, Pro QDi3 and Zuma buoyancy compensators.

The recalled models measure 2 inches tall by 4 inches wide and have gray rubber handles with “SureLock” molded into the pocket and the model name printed on the inside of the back pad or the pocket’s right lobe.

The buoyancy compensators were manufactured in China and Mexico and imported by Aqua Lung America, of Vista, California, where they were sold at various sporting goods and scuba diving stores nationwide from September 2008 through September 2012 for between $460 and $700.

The CPSC recommends that consumers stop using the recalled buoyancy packs immediately and contact Aqua Lung at (855) 355-7170 or return the two weighted pockets to an authorized Aqua Lung dealer to receive a free replacement and inspection. Consumers may also visit Aqua Lung online at aqualung.com and navigate to the “Recall Notice” for further inquiry.