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Swimmers Report Oily Substance On Their Body After Dip In Lake

INDIANA (WWJ) - A strange substance discovered last month just off the southern shore of Lake Michigan in Indiana has beach-goers and scientists alike wondering how it found itself in the water.

Spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management Dan Goldblatt told WWJ that officials first heard of an "oily substance" during the middle of June after swimmers at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore reported the material on their bodies.

"There were some swimmers who noticed it on them - there were no reports of ill effects ... there are no indications that the substance was toxic or ever posed a danger to anybody swimming," said Goldblatt.

"Once it was initially discovered the next day there were no indications of it," said Goldblatt. "The Coast Guard had people out looking for it, they couldn't determine that it stuck around. I'm still waiting to hear back from our laboratory to determine exactly what it was and we'll be able to go forward from there."

He said it's the first time his agency has dealt with any kind of substance like this.

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