Sea-Doo recalls coolers that can trap people inside

Just one month after a recall of 60,00 Igloo marine coolers, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of some 2,500 BRP Sea-Doo marine coolers because the latch can lock automatically, possibly trapping someone inside.

That possibility became reality in May, when a five-year-old Florida boy became trapped inside an Igloo marine cooler while playing hide-and-seek. The boy was freed by his nearby parents, and suffered no ill effects. There have been no such incidents associated with the Sea-Doo coolers, according to the CPSC’s recall notice and reporting in Consumer Reports.

Unlike picnic and camping coolers, marine coolers are built to withstand the brutal conditions associated with boating, with exposure to direct sunlight, rough water conditions and corrosive saltwater. Designed to hold fish in lieu of a live well, marine coolers are well-insulated with lids designed to lock and stay shut in choppy water.

Sea-Doo is replacing the latch with one that enables the cooler to be opened from the inside.

The 51-litre marine coolers sold separately by Sea-Doo dealers or online and with the Sea-Doo Fish Pro personal watercraft, are engraved with the part number 269800817, located on the bottom of the cooler.

Consumers are being encouraged to put the coolers out of the reach of children and contact a BRP Sea-Doo dealer for a free repair to replace the latch.