18-Oct-16 – A smartphone that can burst into flames on a boat has caught the attention of the United States Coast Guard.

A safety alert was distributed to Chicago mariners last Friday, reminding them of an issue with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. More than 100 of the phones have caught fire after their lithium ion battery packs short-circuited while being charged.

Samsung has recalled its Galaxy Note 7 and the FAA has warned airline passengers not to use or charge a Note 7 on a plane. The Coast Guard urged maritime owners, operators, and passengers to return the phones for replacement or refund.

“The Coast Guard strongly recommends immediately powering down and ending all use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones not updated,” reads the alert.

Updated phones have a new battery and firmware that prevents the phone from being charged to full capacity.

If the phone must be brought on board a vessel, the Coast Guard recommends it be switched off, disconnected from charging equipment, that the power switch be protected from activating, any applications that could power up the phone be switched off, and that the phone be easily accessible.