A Canadian teen tragically drowned and spent 38 minutes underwater during a high school swim class before anyone realized he was at the bottom of the pool, according to reports.
The coroner’s investigation, released Monday, is calling for schools to overhaul their swimming programs following the death of 14-year-old Blessing Claude Moukoko last February, the Montreal Gazette reported.
The eighth-grader was participating in a swimming lesson on February 15 at Montreal’s Centre Père-Marquette when he apparently drowned in the deep end. Classmates only noticed his submerged body after the class ended, officials said.
Moukoko was pulled from the water, and CPR was performed before emergency responders rushed him to Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. Despite their efforts, he suffered severe brain damage and could not be revived, according to CTV News. He passed away six days later.
The coroner emphasized that swimming courses should focus on water safety rather than instruction alone.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante expressed her heartbreak over the incident. “It just breaks my heart. It’s hard for me to think about this teacher who was there when it happened. It’s just terrible,” she said. “Let’s make sure our kids know how to behave in water and that school boards have enough resources to keep everyone safe.”