If The account is true as told above, it seems extraordinary the aircraft was allowed to depart.
I'm sure A/OC Ops had very good reasons....
... if he were working for me, he would have an opportunity to explain them - without coffee.
That said, it would surely be odd if he didn't pass such an unusual occurrence/request/non-compliance up the Chain of Command. Or was a two-and-a-half (as he presumably was - at most)
really the top man available - even over the 'phone? (or the more currently fashionable Zoom!)