A teen who drowned during a high school gym class in Rosemont spent 38 minutes at the bottom of the pool without anyone noticing, according to a coroner’s report released Tuesday.

The report by Coroner Louis Normandin's report into the death of Blessing Claude Moukoko is raising questions about how no one noticed the 14-year-old boy.

Moukoko went along with his high school classmates for a swimming lesson at the Pere-Marquette public pool on Feb. 15. By all accounts, he could barely swim.

“He was tired, he was short of breath, he was not well,” said Normandin. “Even the little friends swimming with Blessing said, ‘He's drowning! Blessing is drowning!’ He was not understood.”

The class continued with laps across the pool in the presence of the Phys. Ed. teacher and a lifeguard.

No one noticed the Grade 8 student's absence when his class left the pool deck, and it was only when a second class arrived that they saw what they thought was a dummy at the bottom of the pool.

Attempts to revive the boy were unsuccessful; Moukoko suffered severe brain damage and died in hospital on Feb. 21.

The coroner says it was preventable, noting:

  • The teacher was not adequately trained for swimming lessons
  • The lifeguard was distracted by other duties
  • The teacher and lifeguards didn't do a head count to make sure everyone was out of the pool

Normandin says in his report that water safety, not the acquisition of technical swimming skills, should be the primary goal of basic swimming lessons in schools.

Among the coroner’s recommendations:

  • Teach the Swim-To-Survive program in all swimming classes
  • Improve basic swimming training for all Phys. Ed. teachers
  • Insist lifeguards focus on surveillance only

And if that doesn't happen, the coroner says, swimming classes should be suspended.

Quebec's deputy education minister says that won’t happen.

“I don't think it's an option right now to stop all the classes,” said Isabelle Charest. “Of course we want to make sure that the kids are in a safe environment.”

Swimming classes must not only be maintained but made mandatory, said Raynald Hawkins of The Quebec Lifesaving Society.

“For us, for The Lifesaving Society, I think it's very important to establish swim lessons inside the school curriculum because this is one of the recommendations of the World Health Organization,” said Hawkins.

Moukoko’s family was not available to comment Tuesday but will speak in the presence of their lawyer on Wednesday.

- With files from The Canadian Press