Recall Issued for Scuba Diving Gear

Suunto Dive high pressure hose malfunction may pose drowning threat

Suunto Dive, a company based in Finland with manufacturing facilities in the United States, has issued a recall on a high pressure air delivery hose that is used with their submersible dive pressure gauges and computers. These high pressure hoses could rupture or leak resulting in a loss of breathing gas thereby creating a drowning hazard.The hoses are equipped with silver fittings on each end and are branded with a message that they have been tested to 5000 PSIG. They are also stamped "Made in the U.S.A."

The Batch code for the affected units is 1812. The product code is also printed directly on the piece. The hoses are an available component to the Cobra, Cobra 3, and SM-36 pressure gauges and combo packs and are sold separately. They are also rated for use with Zoop and Vyper dive computers and with standard pressure gauges. About 1300 units made and sold in the United States are reported to be affected.

As of this time, there have been no reports of injury or death related to the hoses but the manufacturer is advising consumers to cease use of the effected products immediately. Those in possession of these hoses are being asked to take the defective product to an authorized Suunto Dive dealer where the hose will be replaced free of charge. The company has also established a page on their website to arrange pickup and delivery of a replacement hose. Consumers are asked to visit www.suunto.com/servicerequest to request and schedule this service.

The affected units were sold via authorized Suunto Dive dealers between November 2012 and July 2013 at a retail price of $95 - 195, depending on the package purchased, between $400 and 900 when purchased with a Suunto computer system and for $85 when purchased as a single unit.

"Suunto Dive did the right thing," said Drazen Alcocer, Founder and CEO of iFederated (http://www.ifederated.com), parent company of iRecalls.com.

"When things like this happen it always makes me glad that we started iRecalls.com," said Artin Afsharjavan, Chairman of iFederated. "Even if a product is part of a niche market, in the world of social media you are bound to find groups of people who share common interests and use the same products. When something like this happens, what better way is there than social media to get the word out quickly?"

For information on how to become part of the growing iRecalls community, consumers are invited to visit the website at http://www.iRecalls.com.