Final answer:
Anatoli Boukreev claimed to have descended to the South Col to bring extra oxygen tanks to climbers during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.
Step-by-step explanation:
When criticized for his actions, Anatoli Boukreev, a noted mountain climber involved in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, claimed to have descended to the South Col to bring everyone extra oxygen tanks. The harsh conditions on Mount Everest, which include extreme cold, low oxygen levels, and low barometric pressure, make supplemental oxygen a critical resource for survival and successful climbing. Boukreev's actions were part of the efforts to aid climbers during a catastrophic event that took place on Everest, which has been widely studied and discussed in various accounts of the incident.