Car falls sideways in central Japan, killing 5 aboard

Those confirmed dead included two high school girls.

After receiving an emergency call from a passerby reporting that a car had fallen sideways on Route 165, a national highway, and that three people were lying bleeding on the road, officers from the Mie prefectural police department rushed to the scene and found six people lying outside the car.

They were taken to hospital by ambulance, with two males and three females aged between 16 and 23 confirmed dead.

The remaining person, a 16-year-old high school boy, sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries, according to the police.

The minivehicle had a seating capacity for four adults.

The accident occurred on a slow curve that has one lane in each direction.

Near the scene of the accident, the police found scratches on the curb and damage to a utility pole that appeared to have been caused by the car.

The police are investigating the detailed cause of the accident, suspecting that the driver may have mishandled the steering due to the vehicle exceeding its passenger capacity.

The car is believed to have headed for Tsu, the capital of Mie, from Nabari.