Mother of Irish designer found dead on yacht speaks out amid heartbreaking loss

Martha’s family, originally from Monacurragh on the outskirts of Carlow town, are said to be devastated as they struggle to come to terms with her sudden and unexplained death.

East Hampton Town Police confirmed that Martha, 33, was found dead on a yacht at the Montauk Yacht Club in the region.

She had founded East x East fashion brand, and had just launched a pop-up shop in Montauk last month.

"I don’t know what happened to my daughter," her mother, Elma Nolan, told The Irish Independent.

The harrowing task of delivering the tragic news to Martha’s parents fell to her younger sister, Jacqui, who arrived at their home on Tuesday night to inform them of the "terrible" occurrence.

Despite a phone call with a Montauk Police Detective, Elma said the family has been left in the dark. Authorities have confirmed that information surrounding Martha’s death cannot yet be disclosed due to the ongoing investigation.

 "I asked him who she was with. He said he couldn’t release information because it was too early on in the investigation. He instructed me to phone the medical examiner’s office."

"…I don’t know what happened. We weren’t told anything about the circumstances."

Elma also heartbreakingly revealed that Martha was planning to return to Ireland this week, having discussed arrangements with her family just days prior.

Suffolk County Police Department have claimed Martha’s body "did not show evidence of violence."

However, the mystery about her sudden passing remains as a police spokesperson said a preliminary examination of Nolan-O’Slattara’s remains was "inconclusive" and that a cause of death is "pending further examination."

Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office and East Hampton Town Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death, saying that they responded to reports of an ‘unconscious woman’ at around midnight local time (5am Irish time).

People attempted to perform CPR on Ms Nolan O’Slattara, but she was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

"East Hampton Town Police responded to a 911 call from a man reporting a woman unconscious on a boat docked at the Montauk Yacht Club, on Star Island Road, at approximately 12 a.m. Good Samaritans attempted to perform CPR on the woman," a statement from police said.

"Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra, 33, of Manhattan, was pronounced dead on the boat by First Responders. The preliminary investigation and exam were inconclusive regarding the cause of death, which will be determined by an autopsy conducted by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office."

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.