Hundreds of people gathered in a Minneapolis church to share thoughts and interfaith prayers for the dead and missing in that city's devastating bridge collapse.

"May this holy place be a sanctuary, a place of comfort and peace," the crowd at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral said together on Sunday.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty recalled how some who survived the sudden collapse early Wednesday evening of the Interstate 35W bridge immediately began to help others, some of whom had plunged into the waters of the Mississippi River.

"We are grateful for the professional first responders and the everyday citizens and good Samaritans who acted with uncommon courage," he said.

"As everyone here knows tonight, this was a horrific story, a horrific tragedy. But through this shines a Minnesota goodness. ... That goodness is not without foundation."

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Ryback said prayers had come to support the city from all over the country and the world.

Meanwhile, at the collapse site about an eight-minute drive from the church, police began transferring flowers, signs, cards and other items away from the makeshift memorial at the site.

Divers continued to search for bodies amid hazardous conditions that have been compared to "brail diving" due to poor visibility.

Forensic divers from the FBI will join them on Monday. U.S. Navy divers may also help out.

On Sunday, the divers used sonar and underwater cameras to aid their efforts.

The murky water, strong currents and shards of glass have made rescue and recovery efforts treacherous.

"It's pretty sobering," onlooker Andy Taylor told The Associated Press on Sunday.

"It's sad to think that people are still risking their lives to clean everything up."

Families of the missing have been frustrated by rescue efforts as divers have not recovered any more bodies since Thursday.

Federal investigators said Sunday they've given state officials permission to begin removing the debris from the site. That step will likely speed up the recovery process.

"This is not a process that will happen overnight," National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker said. "It's going to be a very difficult effort to do safely."

The collapse has claimed at least five lives. Reduced rush-hour speeds and the bridge's design to limit fallen debris appear to have minimized the death toll.

About 100 people were injured in the collapse. Twenty-four remain in hospital with five people in critical condition.

The accident has prompted new safety inspections of bridges in the U.S. and Canada.

The national transportation officials estimate it will take a full year before a report is issued on the causes of the collapse.

Minnesota officials were warned as early as 1990 that the bridge was "structurally deficient." But they continued to follow a strategy of patchwork fixes and inspections, raising questions over whether the collapse could have been prevented.

With files from The Associated Press