An international student who nearly drowned in a Saint John pool over the weekend has died from his injuries.

Jennifer Li, president of the Chinese Cultural Association in Saint John, says the 17-year-old boy passed away in the Saint John Regional Hospital around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

He had been in critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit since the incident on Sunday. Li says doctors told her his brain had stopped functioning.

"I went to the hospital last night and the boy's situation was not good because his blood pressure was high and he had a high fever," says Li. "This morning I was cooking and I got the call…I knew the situation had totally changed."

The teen was swimming with his friends during a public swim at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre on Sunday afternoon when he got into trouble and had to be pulled from the water.

Saint John Police Sgt. Glen Hayward said police responded to a 911 call at the centre around 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

"When police arrived they found lifeguards doing CPR on a young male, a 17-year-old international student from Simonds High School," Hayward confirmed.

The teen was just weeks into his first year at the Saint John High School.

Li says the boy's parents have been notified of his passing and they will arrive in Saint John from Beijing Thursday morning.

"I don't know, his parents, how to accept this situation," said Li. "The next thing we need to think about is how to help them."

Hayward says police are investigating the incident, but foul play is not suspected and they don't expect to lay any charges.