Relatives of the missing victims cried as representatives of Catholic and Protestant churches and Buddhists delivered prayers wishing for the remains of the nine to be recovered.
The service was held on a boat near a heavy lift transport vessel that is holding the corroding, 6,800-ton Sewol.
Relatives threw into the sea yellow roses, a color that has become the symbol of their suffering, and watched from afar as crews on the transport vessel continued to empty the ferry of water and fuel.
The bodies of 295 passengers most of them students on a high school trip were recovered after the sinking, which triggered an outpouring of national grief and soul-searching over long-ignored public safety and regulatory failures.
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Relatives of the missing hope their remains will be found inside the ferry.
Once the ferry reaches Mokpo, investigators will spend about a month cleaning the ship and evaluating it for safety.
They will then begin to search for the remains of the victims and look for clues that could further illuminate the cause of the sinking, which has been blamed on overloaded cargo, improper storage and other negligence.
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