Sarah CurtisMultimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·3 Aug, 2026 01:01 AM3 mins to read‌Julie Butler, 56, went missing from Aotea/Great Barrier along with her 18m schooner Blazing Shadz in April, 2025. Nearly 18 months after a yachtswoman with strong ties to Northland vanished, police have referred the matter to the coroner.Julie Butler, 56, regarded as a highly competent sailor, disappeared with her 18m schooner Blazing Shadz from Kaiaraara Bay, Aotea/Great Barrier Island, in April last year.

While she had recently