Lack of regular maintenance of 'out of date' lifejackets may have partly led to malfunction

Donegal firm Sioen Ireland pointed out that most of the lifejackets were actually being used “in excess of their five-year lifespan”. Picture: File

A lack of regular cleaning and maintenance of “out of date” lifejackets used by Irish Coast Guard crews may have been a factor in them malfunctioning, rescue bosses were told.

According to a document seen by the Irish Examiner, the manufacturer of the Rescue 400 lifejackets found signs of corrosion in a review in November 2019.