Urgent recall issued for five million swimming pools after deaths of nine children

Swimming pools that have been linked to the deaths of nine children have been urgently recalled in the USA due to a "drowning risk". The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned that compression straps on the outside of the pool could allow children to climb in even when the ladder was not connected.

Nine children aged between 22 months and three years old are believed to have drowned after gaining access to the pools in this way. Incidents occurred in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri between 2007 and 2022. Around five million affected pools are thought to have been sold since 2002 at stores including Walmart, Target and Toys R Us.

A notice issued by the CPSC said of the compression straps: "These straps wrap around the pool on the outside of the supporting poles, and may create a foothold, allowing a child to access the pool and drown.

"Children can still gain access to the pools using these footholds even if the ladder is removed."

The recall applies to a number of models from Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup, all manufactured in China. They ranged in price from $400 to over $1,000.

Customers who have bought an affected pool are being urged to request a free repair kit, containing a rope which can replace the compression strap.

The notice added: "The rope will maintain the structural integrity of the pool (a function previously served by the compression strap). Consumers should first secure the repair and then cut and remove the compression strap from the pool."

It added: "In the interim consumers should ensure that children cannot access the pool unattended or, alternatively, drain the pool until the repair can be installed."

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there are around 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths every year in the US.