Organized by Memento Mare, an association representing the relatives of those who perished, the memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony took place at 12 p.m. at the Estonia memorial in central Tallinn.

After the service, victims' relatives, supporters, and representatives of the rescue services, gathered for the customary meeting at the nearby Seaplane Harbor Museum.

An exhibition titled "Estonia – ühe laeva lugu" ("Estonia – one ship's story") was also unveiled at the museum.

This exhibition does not delve into the investigations of the causes of the disaster, which has seen a renewed interest in recent years, or related legal proceedings, but instead offers visitors a space for peaceful reflection and contemplation.

Curators Teele Saar and Urmas Dresen said: "The memorial exhibition tells the story of the Estonia from start to finish with dignity and respect for all those touched by the tragedy."

The victims were also remembered in Sweden at a ceremony held on the island of Djurgården, with speeches by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The king said in his speech that few events have shaken Sweden as deeply as the ferry disaster, which is a shared pain between Estonia and Sweden.

The Estonia sank in heavy Baltic seas off the Turku archipelago in the small hours of September 28, 1994, while en route from Tallinn to Stockholm.

Of the 989 people on board, only 137 survived, making it the largest peacetime maritime disaster in European waters.

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