A Sudanese cargo plane has crashed in the desert near Sharjah Airport in the United Arab Emirates, killing all six crew members.

The aircraft - reportedly a Boeing 707 - crashed shortly after takeoff. A civil aviation official said the airport was closed to air traffic following the accident.

The cause of the crash is still undetermined. The Sudanese air fleet is outdated and the government says spare parts are not available due to economic sanctions imposed by Washington.