Update 5: Two men die, others injured in Floriana, Qrendi accidents

(Video adds Qrendi footage, story adds details)

Two men lost their lives in the first traffic fatalities this year - one in Floriana, the other in Qrendi.

In Floriana, the front passenger of a red Mercedes, a 19-year-old from Mosta, died when the car crashed into a tree near Portes des Bombes at around 9.15 p.m.

The driver, a 19-year-old from Ghaxaq, and the other four passengers had to be extracted from the wreckage by rescuers from the Civil Protection Department. One passenger, who is from Gzira, is in a critical condition and another two, a 19-year-old from Sta Lucija and a 21-year-old from Birkirkara suffered fractures. The driver and a passenger, a 21-year-old from Fgura, were slightly injured.

In Qrendi, the 30-year-old driver of a Peugeot 306, who was on his own, died following a head-on collision with a bus driven by a 42-year-old from Zejtun in Triq it-Tempesta, corner with Triq il-Fulija at around 10.30 p.m.. The victim, who had to be extracted from the wreckage by CPD rescuers, hailed from Zabbar.

The bus driver is uninjured but is suffering from shock.

Inquiries are being held in both accidents