In a significant move to protect public safety, Health Canada has announced the recall of specific children’s snorkel masks, effectively citing suffocation hazard as the primary reason. A malfunction in one of the valves culminating into a dangerous inability to breathe has particularly been noted as the chief issue with these masks.
Both the SUBEA Easybreath Jr. Mask Street Art and Light Blue are subject to this recall, having been sold in the period from April 2019 to July 2023. The public health agency has expressed grave concerns that this lack of pertinent information might lead to dire consequences, ranging from grave injuries to drowning, and worst-case scenarios, fatalities.
The distributing company, Decathlon, in its official statement has revealed that nearly 23,000 of these snorkel masks have been purchased within Canada. However, as of August 14, there have not been any official reports of incidents or injuries associated with their usage in the country, as confirmed by the recall notice.
While authorities remain proactive in their vigilant efforts to avert any potential mishaps, Health Canada is actively appealing to consumers to desist from using the masks. It recommends users to seek out the most recent version of the instruction manual from the nearest sales outlets or through online resources.
Before any usage, it’s encouraged that consumers test the functionality of the masks thoroughly, using the guidelines provided by Decathlon, as advised by Health Canada. Furthermore, customers can always reach out to Decathlon’s customer service for any queries or related concerns.
