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Eight months following a tragic incident involving a toddler’s severe brain injury due to the capsizing of a Sea-Doo Switch, the manufacturer is widening its recall of these pontoon-style boats.
In a significant development, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) has announced the expansion of its recall to encompass all Sea-Doo Switch models manufactured between 2022 and 2026. This includes units that had previously undergone repairs. The company expressed concerns that an earlier fix might not meet the desired durability standards, posing a risk of serious injuries or fatalities.
This decision follows a marine safety warning issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. Since the Switch’s market debut in 2022, there have been multiple incidents of capsizing, resulting in several deaths and severe injuries.
Among those affected is the family of young Vianca Grullon, who was nearly one year old when the boat she was on capsized near Black Creek Marina in August 2024. The family filed a lawsuit in February, claiming that Vianca was submerged for around 20 minutes, leading to devastating brain injuries that have changed her life forever.
The family of nearly one-year-old Vianca Grullon filed a lawsuit in February after the boat she was on flipped while approaching Black Creek Marina in August 2024. The lawsuit claims Vianca was trapped underwater for about 20 minutes, leaving her with life-altering brain injuries.
“They’re devastated,” said the family’s attorney, Judd Rosen. “They have a young girl who, on the day of this incident, could walk, talk, and feed herself. Now she needs 24-hour care. She can’t walk, and she can’t even say ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy.’”
Rosen argues the incident wasn’t due to user error but to a manufacturing flaw.
“If the user is doing everything right, the boat still capsizes,” he said.
He calls BRP’s latest recall a “patchwork fix” and says the company should remove the Sea-Doo Switch from the market altogether.
“How many millions or billions are they making off this boat at the risk of innocent lives?” Rosen asked. “When is it going to be enough?”
According to the recall notice, BRP believes the way passengers or cargo weight is distributed on the boat can increase the risk of capsizing. The company now plans to replace sealant on the hull sections with three gaskets and will add new warning labels to the watercraft.
Rosen says those warnings came too late.
“They never warned our clients of any of these risks,” he said.
First Coast News reached out to BRP for comment and has not yet heard back.
Owners of the Sea-Doo Switch can schedule a free repair at any authorized BRP dealer.
