Luke Jeffrey, 15, was seen lying at the bottom of a 10ft-deep (3m) pool at the Fire Service College, in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, on Wednesday evening.

Members of the Moreton and District Divers’ Club and staff at the pool tried to revive him before paramedics took over, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at Cheltenham General Hospital.

Luke was a star member of the club, run by his father, Mark, who said: “He loved swimming, basketball, Rollerblading and scuba diving. When he was five years old you could see how much he loved the water.

“His strengths were front crawl and backstroke. His goal with swimming was going for the Olympics and if he didn’t get that he would have gone for the Commonwealth Games.”

Mr Jeffrey said that Luke had been improving his best times and may have been spotted by an Olympic trainer and taken into the squad in the next few months. “His club instructor could see his potential and had started training him one to one,” he said.

The diving club had met for its Wednesday evening session at the leisure centre at the college when the accident happened at 9.40. Luke’s grandfather, Bob, said: “Luke just went to do a couple of lengths under water but didn’t surface. We believe he may have had a heart attack.”

Luke’s grandmother, Fay, said: “He was like another son to us. He loved his swimming and you’re talking about a boy who was in county trials and was hoping to train for the 2012 Olympics. He’d done his first qualifications and sea dive.”

Matt Ford, spokesman for North Cotswolds police, said that the Gloucestershire coroner had been informed and will hold an inquest after a full investigation into the tragedy. Luke was a pupil at Chipping Campden School, where staff held a special gathering for him and a priest spoke.

“He did work experience at Blockley Primary School and the children loved him,” his grandfather said. “They were absolutely devastated. The staff and the children were in shreds.”

A spokesman for the diving club said: “We wish to express our sincere condolences and support to the family and friends of Luke.

“Luke was a keen and enthusiastic member of the diving club and was well liked by all members. He was also an active member of the local swimming club and was constantly striving to improve his performance at both sports at every opportunity.

“Although the pool session was for diver-training purposes, and Luke was a qualified BSAC ocean diver, he had not been engaged in any diving activity during the evening and had been in the pool swimming.”

Jeff Price, the head teacher of Chipping Campden School, said: “Pupils are being comforted by staff today and counselling will be offered in the coming days.

“Luke was a very likeable and popular member of our school. He was full of life, an excellent sportsman and enthusiastic about everything. He will be dreadfully missed by all of the school community.”

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