The Oman-registered vehicle was carrying 31 passengers when the crash occurred on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, police said.

Indian officials said that eight Indian citizens were among the dead.

The driver, who is in his 50s, is receiving treatment for minor injuries and an investigation is underway.

On their official Twitter account, Dubai police offered their "sincere condolences and sympathies" to the families of the victims.

"Sometimes a slight error or negligence during the driving of the vehicle leads to dire consequences," police chief Maj Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al-Marri said.

No official cause or details have yet emerged about the crash. Local media said the vehicle swerved to avoid a height restriction sign, which then sliced through the roof.

The Indian embassy in Dubai released the names of all eight Indians killed in the crash, and said it was in touch with some of the families. Several other Indians were treated for injuries.

There are as yet no further details about the remaining victims.

Omani bus company Mwasalat tweeted its "deepest condolences" and announced its services between Muscat and Dubai were suspended until further notice.