Dainius at Camp 2. He was one of the Soviet Unions most accomplished high altitude climbers when I met him during the 1978 Soviet American Exchange Expedition in Tadjikistan.
Dainius was one probably the most experienced high altitude moutaineer that I had ever climbed with.
On the frigid afternoon of October, 31, 1990, Dainius proudly displayed the Lithuanian flag on the summit of Dhaulagiri. Dainius, Nuru Sherpa and I reached the summit together during exceptionally cold weather. (Estimated -40C) This was the last photo of Dainius. He tragically disappeared on the descent less than an hour later.
Nuru and I were severely frostbitten. But maintaining a sliver of hope that he was still descending towards us. We hoped that Dainius could have survived the night without a tent and waited a second night for him in Camp 2. When he did not appear, we were heartbroken.