Family of bikini designer in Montauk yacht death files $50M lawsuit alleging assault

The household of a bikini decorator who was recovered dormant connected a Montauk yacht past summertime has filed a $50 cardinal suit alleging battle successful a lawsuit that rocked the affluent summertime blistery spot.

"It's been precise hard for the family," said lawyer Michael Bowe.

He is representing Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra's household successful their precocious filed wrongful decease suit alleging she was assaulted earlier her death.

Nolan-O’Slatarra was an Irish bikini decorator surviving successful New York City who was recovered dormant aboard a luxury yacht successful Montauk past summer. She founded East x East, a boutique edifice deterioration statement she often promoted done stylish behind-the-scenes glimpses of her photograph shoots and plan process.

Left: Christopher Durnan, a Long Island businessman who was accused of warring a erstwhile FDNY subordinate and Ground Zero responder astatine a 9/11 tribute successful 2021. Right: Martha Nolan, an Ireland-born manner decorator whose company, East x East, offered men and women's formation and summertime wear. (Christopher Durnan/Instagram, Martha Nolan/Instagram)

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"The EMTs, erstwhile they arrived, recovered humor successful her mouth. On her chest, connected her head, and they judge down her, down her head," Bowe said.

Bowe's squad filed a summons with announcement against Christopher Durnan successful Manhattan Supreme Court connected Tuesday. The filing alleges Durnan "intentionally and wrongfully assaulted" Nolan-O’Slatarra aboard a vas astatine the Star Island Yacht Club connected oregon astir Aug. 4 and Aug. 5, 2025.

Bowe said Nolan-O’Slatarra's household has endured some unbearable heartbreak and a grueling, year-long hold for answers.

"They've conducted their ain investigation. We've been conducting our ain probe and it includes a 2nd autopsy by the household by a well-renowned aesculapian examiner, arsenic good arsenic different grounds that we have, immoderate of which we've shared, immoderate of we won't. And past evidently done the find process, we expect to unafraid each the grounds truthful it tin beryllium presented successful court," helium said.

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The family's suit accuses Durnan of gross negligence and reckless behaviour that allegedly caused her injuries and death. The papers does not picture the alleged battle oregon explicate what happened aboard the yacht.

Bowe said Durnan has not made an effort to interaction Nolan-O’Slatarra's family.

"He's made assorted nationalist comments that simply aren't true. Like he's marque nationalist comments astir however he's successful connection with the family. The household reached retired to him aggregate times by telephone and by text, arsenic you would expect, and those overtures were ne'er responded to," helium said.

Her household is seeking damages for wrongful death, arsenic good arsenic for idiosyncratic injuries and the conscious symptom and suffering she allegedly experienced earlier she died.

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The filing besides seeks punitive damages, interest, attorneys’ fees and tribunal costs.

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Martha Nolan, of Manhattan, was recovered unresponsive connected a vessel successful Montauk, New York connected Aug. 5, 2025. The 33-year-old entrepreneur owned a edifice deterioration company. (Martha Nolan/Instagram)

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The suit says that if Durnan fails to look successful the case, a default judgement could beryllium entered against him for $50 million, positive further fees and costs, oregon for an magnitude determined aboriginal by the court.

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Elma Geraldine Nolan and Marcello de Peralta filed the enactment arsenic impermanent administrators of Nolan-O’Slatarra’s estate. Durnan’s effect to the allegations was not included successful the filing.

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Authorities accidental the origin and mode of Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra’s decease stay undetermined pending an autopsy. The Suffolk County Homicide Squad is starring the investigation. (Facebook/ Martha Nolan)

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Nolan was recovered dormant aboard a docked yacht successful the aboriginal hours of Aug. 5, 2025. Despite efforts by bully Samaritans to execute CPR, she was pronounced dormant connected the yacht.

The manner entrepreneur, primitively from Ireland and known for her high-end bikini marque and infectious societal media presence,was successful a caller romanticist relationship, according to Extra.ie. She was reportedly engaged to wed her boyfriend.

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Her boyfriend, arsenic reported by the Irish Independent, was not connected committee the 54-foot SeaRay named Ripple connected the nighttime of her death, and she had texted him that she would "Uber home" pursuing what was described arsenic a concern outing.

A instrumentality enforcement official, wearing disposable bluish cleaning gloves, is seen investigating the yacht wherever 33-year-old Martha Nolan was recovered connected Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (Doug Kuntz)

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The boat’s owner, described by Extra.ie arsenic being successful his 60s, was reportedly recovered unsocial and bare with Nolan erstwhile authorities responded.

People who were aboard different boats astatine the Montauk Yacht Club precocious that nighttime told 27East that a antheral who owns 2 boats docked adjacent to each different astatine the marina came crying for assistance from others connected the dock astatine astir midnight, throwing items astatine neighboring boats to aftermath up their crews.

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One witness, who declined to springiness his name, told the section outlet the antheral was bare and was shouting, "Do something, bash something," arsenic helium ran on the dock trying to awaken others. In his haste, the outlet reported, helium threw a conduit of sunscreen astatine a neighboring vessel.

Autopsy results person not been released successful the case, with authorities saying the probe is ongoing.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Durnan's lawyer, Robert Holdman, for comment.

Fox News' Michael Dorgan and Kirill Clark contributed to this report.