US authorities first acknowledged the attacks in August, about nine months after diplomats began reporting bizarre sonic experiences and a puzzling spectrum of symptoms, from brain injuries to hearing loss. Despite an international investigation into the attacks, which have also affected Canadian diplomats, authorities and scientists are still baffled as to what kind of weapon or devices could have been used—let alone by whom.
The victims report a range of symptoms including dizziness, nausea, headaches, balance problems, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), nosebleeds, difficulty concentrating and recalling words, permanent hearing loss, and speech problems. There have also been brain injuries, including swelling and concussion.
Some said they felt vibrations during their attack. Others heard noises, described as either a loud, high-pitch chirping like cicadas or a jarring grinding noise. Some victims reported waking up in bed with a ringing in their ears—which stopped when they moved away from their beds. Still, others said they felt and heard nothing before their symptoms began.
Some say they were attacked in their homes, while others were attacked in the newly renovated Hotel Capri in Havana. The attacks seemed to strike at night, with some saying they came in one-minute bursts.
