Fourteen-year-old Blessing Claude Moukoko drowned during a school diving lesson at Montreal’s Centre Père-Marquette on February 15, spending about 38 minutes underwater before anyone noticed. The devastating loss has sparked urgent discussions about swimming safety in schools.
After the lesson, classmates found Blessing motionless in the deep end. Staff performed CPR and called emergency services, but severe brain damage from lack of oxygen meant he never recovered and died days later.
The coroner’s investigation emphasized that school swim programs should focus on water safety skills—teaching students how to recognize and respond to danger—alongside swimming techniques. It also flagged inadequate supervision and training as critical issues.
Parents, educators, and officials are now debating how best to improve safety, including increasing lifeguard coverage and ensuring teachers are properly trained.
Montreal’s mayor voiced deep sorrow and called for greater investment in protections for children in aquatic activities, aiming to prevent similar tragedies.
Experts stress the need for mandatory safety lessons before pool time, better staff-to-student ratios, routine emergency drills, and clear coordination between all personnel involved.
Supporters also advocate including drowning prevention education within schools’ physical education to better prepare kids.
Friends and family remember Blessing as a kind and promising young man. The community honors his memory through vigils and demands stronger safety standards.
The case is a painful reminder that drowning can happen silently, highlighting the importance of vigilance, training, and swift action in any water environment.
