One of the UK's most experienced mountain rescue experts has died at the age of 72. David Whalley was a Royal Air Force and mountain rescue veteran who died this week after being diagnosed with terminal liver disease last year.
David 'Heavy' Whalley was one of the UK’s most revered mountain rescuers who had taken part in several important rescue efforts. In December 1988 he was the senior team leader at the Lockerbie disaster, when Pan Am flight 103 was bombed in a terrorist attack over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people.
He also aided the hunt for survivors when a Chinook helicopter crashed in 1994 on Mull of Kintyre, killing four RAF crew and 25 terrorism experts. In total he attended more than 70 aircraft crashes.
Scottish Mountain Rescue has hailed Whalley as a "true legend" and said it was "deeply saddened" by his death.
It added: "[He] dedicated his life to helping others in the mountains, giving countless years of service with unwavering commitment, skill, and compassion. He was a leader, a mentor, and a friend to so many in the mountain rescue community and beyond.
"His knowledge, experience, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who worked alongside him."
Posted by HebridesMRT on
The Hebrides Mountain Rescue Team posted on Facebook (above) that they were "very sad upon hearing of the passing of RAF and Scottish Mountain Rescue legend David ‘Heavy’ Whalley".
The team shared a post showing Whalley officially opening a new base, "which he did magnificently with the heated rope cutter".
During Whalley's 40-year career with the RAF Mountain Rescue Service, he attended more than 1,000 mountain incidents and many air accidents, helping save hundreds of lives.
It was when he first joined the RAF that he got the nickname, "Heavy", for standing at just 5ft 4in and weighing just seven stone.
He shared much of his life, including photos of bygone adventures and feelings of PTSD following the Lockerbie disaster, in his Wordpress blog. In his final post on March 16, 2025, entitled 'Great memories through photos and music', he reminisces over happier times in his life.
A comedy photo of his German Shepherd Teallach wearing sunglasses and a hard hat surrounded by mountain rescue gear heads up the post.
"A giant amongst men"
Comments on Scottish Mountain Rescue's Facebook page have garnered hundreds of reactions and comments.
Highland Cross posted: "His contribution to Mountain Rescue is vast and we have lost a great repository of mountain history with his death."
Another user commented: "So sad, but he lives on in the Scottish Mountains and in the lives of the people he saved and those he coached and mentored. He will never be forgotten."
Another said: "A giant amongst men, the epitome of selfless commitment. RIP Heavy."
Many commenters revealed how much they enjoyed following Whalley's adventures on Instagram. See more @heavywhalley64.
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