Last week's surge of irregular migrants into Spain's north African territory of Ceuta did not "compromise" Europe's visa-free Schengen travel zone, the Spanish interior minister said on Tuesday. The unprecedented rush from July 30th claimed 77 lives, the Spanish government's delegation in Ceuta said, raised from a previous toll of 72. AdvertisementMany migrants drowned as they tried to swim around a barrier in the Mediterranean Sea in scenes that sparked a diplomatic spat with Spain's EU partners. The entry of the migrants sparked tensions with Spain's EU partners, with Italy and Denmark calling for the country to be suspended from the bloc's Schengen free-travel area. This year his government launched a scheme to grant legal status to irregular migrants already living in Spain that is expected to benefit around 500,000 people, mostly Latin Americans.