Mumbai, Feb 8 (IANS): Seven youths from Mumbai were killed and one injured when their vehicle rammed into a tree on the Mumbai-Goa highway here on Wednesday morning, police said.

The incident occurred around 7.30 a.m. when the Xylo SUV with eight persons was proceeding from Mumbai to Sindhudurg district.

The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a wayside tree near the Khanu village, killing the seven occupants instantly, said S.K. Gavkhadkar, an official from Ratnagiri police control.

The occupants, hailing from Mumbai suburbs of Vile Parle, Andheri, Malad and Mulund have been identified as Sachin Sawant, Prashant Gurav, Akshay Kerkar, Nihal Kotian, Kedar Todankar, Vaibhav Manve and Mayur Belekar.

Abhishek Kamble, the sole survivor, has been admitted to Ratnagiri civil hospital in a critical condition, Gavkhadkar added.

The cause of the accident is being investigated and the families of the deceased youths have been informed, she said.

The Mumbai-Goa highway has earned the sobriquet of 'killer highway' in view of the spate of accidents that occur there frequently and there are demands to make it wider and safer.