On the altar was a row of photographs of students, many smiling, who had been found dead after the 6,825-ton ferry sank on April 16 during a trip from the port city of Incheon to the southern resort island of Jeju.

Survivors said most of the 325 second-year students on board for a class trip were trapped inside after the crew repeatedly urged them to stay where they were even though the ship was badly listing. Most of the crew members, however, were among the first to flee the ship. Survivors have said they never heard an evacuation order.

North Korea sent its condolences through a telephone hotline at the truce village of Panmunjom on the border between the countries, the Unification Ministry of the South said. The North’s Korean Central News Agency confirmed that the message had been sent. Seoul did not immediately respond.