CHANGCHUN, Jan. 12 -- Eight people were confirmed dead in a car accident in northeast China's Jilin Province, local government said Sunday.

Police of the City of Songyuan received a report from expressway police at around 8:39 a.m. Saturday, reporting an accident near Liangjiazi village in Dawa Town of Ningjiang District, according to sources with the provincial government press office.

Initial investigation shows that a jeep entered a discarded road near a highway, bumping against the slope protection of the highway's viaduct. It then rushed into the protection net before it hit the viaduct pier, killing eight people on the vehicle.

The driver was an unlicensed 17-year-old boy. Approved passenger on the vehicle is five.

Further investigation is under way.