Around 10.30 p.m. local time on Thursday, a report was made to emergency services that a mini car fell from prefectural road Route 24 in the town of Chosei in Anan City, Xinhua news agency reported.

Four teenagers, all aged 18, were in the car and were rushed to the hospital, with three of them later confirmed dead, according to local police. The survivor suffered minor injuries.

The car was found with the driver's side down, and police suspect that the light car, travelling southbound on the prefectural road, for some reason veered off into the nearby paddy field.

The exact cause of the accident is under investigation, but local authorities have said the possibility of drunk driving or driving without a license is low.