The mysterious sudden death of Irish designer Martha Nolan-O'Slaterra on a New York yacht

At around midnight on August 5 2025, the lifeless body of Irish woman Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra was discovered on a boat docked at a marina in the exclusive Montauk Yacht Club in the US.

Originally from Co Carlow, the 33-year-old entrepreneur had moved to New York ten years previously and was forging a successful career in sunglasses and swimwear design.

Earlier that evening, Martha had arranged to meet with millionaire investor Christopher Durnan to discuss how her business was going.

In an interview last year, Durnan's lawyer claimed that his client told police that Martha suddenly went limp between 10.30pm and 11pm and that he thought she was having a heart attack.

According to witnesses, Durnan was seen at around midnight, running naked through the marina, screaming for help.

On the first anniversary of Martha's tragic death, her family filed a wrongful death proceedings for $50 million against Christopher Durnan.

Their lawyers have stated that the results of an independent postmortem examination commissioned by the Nolan family is at odds with the one carried out by the state of New York and their summons is seeking damages for wrongful death and for the personal injuries and conscious pain and suffering that Martha sustained before her death. Jenny Friel speaks to the Irish Independent's Special Correspondent Catherine Fegan, who has covered this case since the beginning.

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