The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·00016b·Announced 1999-11-17

Sea & Sea Recalls Underwater Camera Strobe Lights Due to Injury Risk

Sea & Sea is recalling YS-50 and specific YS-60/YS-120 underwater strobes because gas build-up can cause parts to eject or break apart, posing a risk of injury.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural defect where the product can violently break apart, and the source text explicitly reports two injuries, including facial lacerations, which aligns with the 'significant injury' criterion for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Sea & Sea Underwater Photography (U.S.A.) Inc. is recalling approximately 7,000 underwater camera strobe lights. The recall includes all model number YS-50 strobes, as well as model number YS-60 and YS-120 strobes with serial numbers beginning with 96 or 94. These units were sold in yellow, black, and orange, and feature "Sea & Sea" and "Japan" on the housing.

The recall is being issued because if the strobe becomes flooded, gas build-up can cause the battery cap to forcefully eject or the front section to violently separate from the back section. This can result in pieces of the strobe striking the user or others nearby. CPSC and Sea & Sea have received two reports of injury: one involving a chipped tooth during repair and another involving facial lacerations when the unit broke apart.

Consumers should immediately stop using these strobes. Any strobe suspected of being flooded, indicated by the unit stopping working or showing corrosion, should be returned to an authorized repair center for repair. Sea & Sea is offering a free replacement battery cap with a vent that prevents gas build-up. Consumers can contact Sea & Sea at (800) 732-7977 or write to their address in Carlsbad, California, for more information.

The recalled product

Product
Underwater camera strobe light, model number YS-50
Manufacturer
Sea & Sea Underwater Photography (U.S.A.) Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif.
Category
Consumer Product — Photography Equipment
Hazard
Affected units
7,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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