Yacht Owner Seeks Legal Protection in Bikini Designer's Death Case

The family of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, a 33-year-old Irish expat and New York fashion designer, faces legal challenges after a federal judge placed their state-level wrongful death lawsuit on hold. According to court filings, Nolan-O'Slatarra was a guest aboard the Ripple on August 4, 2025, and became unconscious and unresponsive around midnight on August 5. The lawsuit was filed in August 2025, but Durnan was not served until October 1, 2025, after a process server located him at a vacation (Fox News Latest). [1]

Christopher Durnan, the 61-year-old yacht owner, has filed a petition under federal maritime law to avoid liability altogether or cap his exposure at $476,942, the appraised value of the vessel. Durnan's lawyers wrote that he sought help from people aboard other vessels at the marina. One of them called 911, and another performed CPR on Nolan-O'Slatarra. According to his federal court filing, Nolan-O'Slatarra was a guest aboard the Ripple on Aug. 4, 2025 (Fox News Latest). [1]

Durnan has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime, and his attorneys have denied any fault or neglect on his part. According to his federal court filing, Nolan-O'Slatarra was a guest aboard the Ripple on August 4, 2025. Around midnight on August 5, she was unconscious and unresponsive, and Durnan attempted to render aid, according to the filing. Durnan's lawyers wrote that he sought help from people aboard other vessels at the marina (Fox News Latest). [1]

The family of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, a 33-year-old Irish expat and New York fashion designer, faces legal challenges after a federal judge placed their state-level wrongful death lawsuit on hold (1). Christopher Durnan, the 61-year-old yacht owner, has filed a petition under federal maritime law to avoid liability altogether or cap his exposure at $476,942, the appraised value of the vessel (1). According to court filings, Nolan-O'Slatarra was a guest aboard the Ripple on August 4, 2025, and became unconscious and unresponsive around midnight on August 5 (1). [1]

Durnan has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime, and his attorneys have denied any fault or neglect on his part (1). Filings like Durnan's are common, according to David Cattie, an attorney based in the U.S. Virgin Islands and an expert on federal maritime law. He said vessel owners have "vastly more protection" at sea than on land, if the facts of the case meet federal criteria (1). [1]

The federal court battle will focus in part on what's known as "privity," whether the circumstances that allegedly caused or contributed to Nolan-O'Slatarra's death involved something Durnan personally knew about or was responsible for (1). Even though the boat was docked in the marina at the time, it was still legally in what's considered a "navigable waterway," Cattie added (1). [1]

The family of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, a 33-year-old Irish expat and New York fashion designer, is facing legal challenges after a federal judge placed their state-level wrongful death lawsuit on hold (1). The lawsuit was filed in August 2025, but Christopher Durnan, the 61-year-old yacht owner, was not served until October 1, 2025, after a process server located him at a vacation property (1). Durnan has filed a petition under federal maritime law to avoid liability altogether or cap his exposure at $476,942, the appraised value of the vessel (1). [1]

According to court filings, Nolan-O'Slatarra was a guest aboard the Ripple on August 4, 2025, and became unconscious and unresponsive around midnight on August 5 (1). Durnan attempted to render aid, according to the filing, and sought help from people aboard other vessels at the marina (1). One of them called 911, and another performed CPR on Nolan-O'Slatarra (1). [1]

Durnan has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime, and his attorneys have denied any fault or neglect on his part (1). The federal court battle will focus in part on what's known as "privity," whether the circumstances that allegedly caused or contributed to Nolan-O'Slatarra's death involved something Durnan personally knew about or was responsible for (1). [1]

Sources

Fox News Latest

Prepared with AI assistance from the cited sources.