Following 73 reports of broken Oceanic BC weight-pocket handles, Huish Outdoors is recalling some 7,450 jackets on which there is considered to be a danger of a breakage happening.
Should this occur while under water divers would be unable to dump their weights in an emergency ascent, posing a drowning hazard. However, no injuries have been reported so far, according to Huish.
The company has sold about 7,440 of the affected BCs, mainly in the USA and Canada. The recalled devices comprise OceanPro, Excursion and Hera models bearing serial numbers 608262-695909, 1170357-1180342, 1200001-1200070 and 20031001-22082698.
Among these specific models, it is only if the QLR4 pocket handles do not contain a date code on the underside that they should be considered as needing to be recalled. The same applies with QLR4 weight-pockets that divers might have been bought separately.
The Chinese and Vietnamese-made BCs were sold in dive-shops and online from April 2019 up to this May. Anyone who has been using one should stop doing so immediately, contact Huish Outdoors to receive free replacements and dispose of the detachable weight-pockets. Divers outside the USA should contact their nearest Oceanic dealer.
The brand name Oceanic and the model name are embroidered on the side-pockets, and the serial number can be found on the product warning label on the BC’s cummerbund. Full recall details can be found on the Oceanic Worldwide website.
Also on Divernet: Diver Test: Oceanic OceanPro, Diver Test: Oceanic Excursion
