Challenger 350 flight crew reported a life raft inflated while at cruise and having to divert.

Attributes
ACN	1744142
Time
Date	202005
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Challenger 350
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Liferaft
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

While cruising at FL450; and approximately 100 nm east from ZZZ; and after about an hour into the flight; our flight attendant came up to cockpit to inform us about a loud noise back in cabin. After confirming myself as the flying pilot; the non flying pilot went back into the cabin to assess the situation. Upon returning to the cockpit; he explained to me that one of the life rafts had begun to inflate; and had broken through the cabinet which contains it. We requested from ATC to descend. ATC initially gave us FL240; and while descending; we and requested a divert to ZZZ; while stating to ATC what the nature of the situation was. We landed in ZZZ approximately 20 minutes later with no further incident. Possibly a faulty valve on the raft. Maintain periodic checks on life rafts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Challenger 350 flight crew reported a life raft inflated while at cruise and having to divert.

Narrative: While cruising at FL450; and approximately 100 nm east from ZZZ; and after about an hour into the flight; our Flight Attendant came up to cockpit to inform us about a loud noise back in cabin. After confirming myself as the Flying Pilot; the Non Flying Pilot went back into the cabin to assess the situation. Upon returning to the cockpit; he explained to me that one of the life rafts had begun to inflate; and had broken through the cabinet which contains it. We requested from ATC to descend. ATC initially gave us FL240; and while descending; we and requested a divert to ZZZ; while stating to ATC what the nature of the situation was. We landed in ZZZ approximately 20 minutes later with no further incident. Possibly a faulty valve on the raft. Maintain periodic checks on life rafts.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.