A tragic incident in Montreal has prompted renewed calls for improved water safety in schools after a 14-year-old student drowned during a high school swim class — and went unnoticed for nearly 40 minutes.

According to reports, Blessing Claude Moukoko, an eighth-grade student, was participating in a swimming lesson on February 15 at Centre Père-Marquette when he drowned in the deep end of the pool. Shockingly, his absence went unnoticed until after the physical education class had ended, when classmates spotted his body underwater.

Emergency personnel were called to the scene, and CPR was administered before Moukoko was rushed to Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. However, he had already suffered severe brain damage. Despite efforts to save him, he died six days later.

A coroner’s report released Monday has called for major changes in how swimming is taught in schools, urging a shift in focus from swimming instruction to water safety and drowning prevention.

“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,” Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante told the Montreal Gazette. “Let’s make sure our kids know how to stay safe in the water, and let’s make sure schools have the resources they need to protect them.”

The tragedy has sparked outrage and deep concern among parents, educators, and city officials, as the investigation continues into how such a catastrophic oversight could happen in a supervised class.