Aqua Lung America Recalls Apeks WTX Power Inflators Due to Drowning Hazard

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Jun 30, 2010, 01:00 ET

WASHINGTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following product. Consumers should stop using products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

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Name of product: Power Inflator

Units: About 1,380 in the U.S., 530 in Canada

Importer: Aqua Lung America of Vista, Calif.

Hazard: The oral inflator button is not properly bonded to the oral stem and can fall off during use, posing a leak of the buoyancy compensator contents. This poses a drowning hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Aqua Lung America has received one report of a consumer's oral inflate button falling off during use. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The power inflator is the black mouthpiece with the two brass buttons at the end of the corrugated hose. The recall involves all models of the Apeks WTX power inflators. Some of the recalled components were included on complete air cells. Those model numbers are: 388032, 388060, 388080, 388145, 388260, and 42775. The model number of the air cell can be found on the tag sewn on the center of the air cell or bladder.

Sold at: Diving stores in the U.S. and Canada from November 2006 through March 2010 for between $53 and $70 for the component and between $280 and $520 for the air cells.

Manufactured in: California

Remedy: Consumers should stop diving with their recalled power inflator and bring it or send it to an authorized Apeks dealer. The dealer will apply a free fix. Consumers may also ask for and receive a free replacement product.

Consumer Contact: For additional information contact the firm toll-free at (877) 253-3483 or visit the firm's website at www.aqualung.com.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from over about 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or re-sell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772, teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this press release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 253-3483

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission