A Ħamrun scout who was on his way home after a few days camping was critically injured early yesterday morning following a head-on crash on the Għargħur bypass.

Gianluca Vassallo, 23, was driving a Toyota Townace at about 1.30am when it collided head-on with a Mitsubishi Pajero, which was being driven by a 19-year-old from Naxxar, who was grievously injured.

On impact, the Pajero ended up on the wrong side of the road. The crash also involved a Mini being driven by a 55-year-old woman from St Julian’s.

Mr Vassallo, who had a 16-year-old passenger, had to extracted from the wreckage by members of the Civil Protection Department.

The Toyota passenger and the Mini driver were slightly injured.

Meanwhile, five people were hospitalised following another car crash in L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa on Friday night.

The police said the incident involved a collision between a Ssang Yong driven by a 36-year-old man from Żebbug and a Peugeot 106 driven by a 19-year-old from Fgura.

In the Peugeot there were three passengers – an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old both from Naxxar, and a 17-year-old from St Paul’s Bay – while in the Ssang Yong there were two passengers – a 33-year-old man from Msida and a 37-year-old man of Zabbar.

The police said the 19-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger suffered grievous injuries while the 17-year-old was slightly injured.