A teenager has died in a traffic accident in Mgarr late on Friday evening, the police said.

The head-on collision took place in Sir Temi Zammit Road at 11.15pm.

It involved a Toyota, driven by a 19-year-old of Mosta, who had an 18-year-old passenger, also of Mosta, riding with him, and a Mitsubishi, driven by a 35-year-old man of Mgarr.

The teenager is named Alan Galea, and many friends took to social media to remember him and express sadness at his loss.

The Pyrotechnical Society tied to the 15th of August Fireworks factory in Mosta expressed its condolences, as did Mgarr United, with whom Galea used to play football.

The three men involved were taken to hospital, with Galea succumbing to his injuries some time later.

The other teenager was seriously hurt, while the condition of the 35-year-old man is unknown.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia is leading an inquiry.

Galea's death comes a day before World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, with the Doctors for Road Safety issuing a statement on Saturday morning saying that all traffic accidents have a definite and preventable cause.