Hundreds of Helly Hansen lifejackets and buoyancy aids sold across Ireland are being recalled because the products fail to meet safety standards and could pose a risk of drowning.

The products were sold in stores nationwide, including in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Letterkenny and Athlone.

Helly Hansen is recalling the Sport II size XXS (serial numbers 271011, 271012, 272150, 271612, 275325, 275969, 279873, 281286 and 291307), as well as all Comfort Compact 50N and Rider Foil Race lifejackets.

Around 539 Comfort Compact 50N products were sold in Ireland, along with 96 of the affected Sport II devices and 55 Rider Foil Race lifejackets.

‘Stop using recalled products immediately’

“Please stop using recalled products immediately. Customers should immediately stop using the recalled product,” Helly Hansen said in an online statement. 

“The products present a risk of drowning. Due to a manufacturing fault, the buoyancy aids fail to meet the minimum whole device buoyancy requirements and may pose a risk of drowning to users.”

According to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the affected products were sold by the following retailers:

The Matthews Centre Ltd, 5 Half Moon Street, Cork City 
Union Chandlery Ltd, Unit 23 Doughcloyne Industrial Estate, Sarsfield Road, Cork 
Wisemans Drapery Ltd, 17 Main Street, Bantry 
Pod Marine Ltd T/A Shannon Sailing M, Dromineer, Nenagh 
Dolan Marketing Ltd, 6-7 Castlemaine Street, Athlone 
Rain Outdoors Limited, 29 O’Connell Street, Limerick 
Gerald Stanley & Son Ltd, Market Street, Clifden 
Gerry Gannon T/A Gannon Sports, Galway Road, Clifden 
Gleeson Sport Scene Ltd, 25 Upper William Street, Limerick 
Marbanton Ltd T/A Booley, Eglinton Street, Galway 
Marine Parts Direct Ltd, Unit 7 N1 Business Park, Swords 
Misc (Companies) C/O Windmill Sports, Unit G2, Calmount Park, Calmount Road, Dublin 12 
Wet N’ Wild, Ballyraine Retail Park, Letterkenny

“On request, consumers can contact Helly Hansen to arrange a return by contacting recall@hellyhansen.com. Helly Hansen is offering a full refund of the purchase price or a voucher of the same amount,” the CCPC said.

Helly Hansen is also offering destruction instructions on its website at www.hellyhansen.com/en_ie/recall.