Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called on France to agree to "take back" people who cross the Channel to the UK.

The PM said he had written to French President Emmanuel Macron setting out five steps to "move further and faster" to avoid a repeat of Wednesday's tragedy where 27 people died.

In a statement, the French interior ministry said: "We consider Boris Johnson's public letter unacceptable and in opposition with discussions between counterparts.

"An agreement with France to take back migrants who cross the Channel through this dangerous route would have an immediate and significant impact," Mr Johnson said.

On Thursday, Ms Patel told the Commons there was "no quick fix" to tackle the issue but said she had spoken to her French counterpart to offer to put more officers on the ground and had continued to push for joint patrols of the Channel.

He said two survivors were in a critical condition in a French hospital, where they are being treated for severe hypothermia.

He said France was going to ask for "extra help" from the British, adding that despite authorities telling migrants they were able to stay in France, they wanted to reach the UK.

The UK signed an agreement in July to pay France €62.7m (£54m) during 2021-22 to help secure the borders, but the number of people making the crossing has continued to rise.

Since the start of the year, 1,552 smugglers have been arrested in northern France and 44 smuggler networks dismantled, Mr Macron said.

Despite this, he said 47,000 attempted Channel crossings to the UK took place this year and 7,800 people were rescued.

Charles Devos, volunteer for the French National Sea Rescue organisation SNSM, was one of the first to reach the scene of Wednesday's tragedy after getting a mayday call from the coastguard.

He told French radio station Delta FM he and his crew picked up six bodies that were drifting in the water.

Record numbers of migrants are making the crossing from France to the UK and it is thought at least 10 other people had died in the past few weeks while attempting to cross.

Why do migrants leave France for the UK