SHENYANG - Four of the 13 injured people were confirmed dead in hospital, bring the death toll in an expressway accident to nine on Sunday in Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The accident occurred at about 3:30 pm when a coach rear-ended a truck at the Panjin section of the Beijing-Shenyang Expressway, said Sun Bo, secretary-general of the government of Panjin City.

The coach, carrying 47 people onboard, was on the way to Chaoyang City of Liaoning when the accident occurred.

Five, including the driver and the conductor, were dead on the spot.

The injured people were in stable conditions, doctors said.

An initial investigation blamed the accident on the mechanical problems of the truck, the official said.

The truck went to an abrupt stop after some of its wheels were locked up, which was followed by the crash as the coach driver's attempt to veer the vehicle into a safe lane failed.

There has been no overloading or speeding in the accident, police investigations showed.