Families of the victims gathered in the cathedral to unveil the plaque designed by sculptor Mati Karmin which commemorates the lost lives.

It features Psalm 9 of Psalm 28: "Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever".

A memorial service was also held at the "Broken Line" monument in Tallinn.

MS Estonia ferry disaster

The Estonia ferry sank on the night of September 28, 1994, while sailing from Tallinn to Stockholm. 

The sinking is the largest maritime disaster in peacetime in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people from 17 countries, and the second-largest peacetime maritime disaster, so far as European vessels go, since the Titanic.

The shipwreck was investigated by a joint committee formed by the governments of Estonia, Finland and Sweden between 1994 and 1997 and by a government commission headed by the Public Prosecutor's Office in 2005-2009. 

In 1995, Estonia, Finland and Sweden signed an agreement to protect the shipwreck, which prohibits diving to the wreck.

The disaster is commemorated by the "Broken Line" monument in central Tallinn, which replicates the vessel's bow. One arm of the monument points towards Sweden, the other towards Finland, the two nations, along with Estonia, who lost the most people.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!