17:23 Flash flooding inundates the scene and the four workers closest to the river bank flee to safety.
17:24 The Fanlu (番路) subsection of the Chiayi Fire Department receives the first emergency call that four workers are stranded by the flood.
17:40 The Chungpu (中埔) subsection of the Chiayi Fire Department arrives at the scene.
17:50 The Chuchi (竹崎) subsection of the Chiayi Fire Department receives a request for help.
17:55 The Minhsiung (民雄) subsection of Chiayi Fire Department receives a request for help.
17:57 The Command Center of the National Fire Administration (NFA) in Taipei receives a call from Chiayi Fire Department's command center requesting National Police Administration (NPA) for helicopter. NPA asks Chiayi Fire Department to call NPA direct.
17:57 to 18:23 (time not stated in indictment) Refused by the NFA, Chiayi Fire Department calls the Taichung base of the airborne police and Ministry of National Defense's Rescue and Cooperation Center for a helicopter. Each department refuses assistance arguing that responsibility for such lies with the other.
18:23 Chiayi Fire Department Command Center calls NFA for second time to request help in asking for a helicopter from the NPA. NFA still refuses.
18:23 to 18:43 (time not stated in indictment) Chiayi Fire Department again telephones airborne police base in Taichung, the Ministry of National Defense's Rescue and Cooperation Center in Taipei and the Air Force's Seagull Air Rescue Group in Chiayi for a helicopter. The Seagull Air Rescue Group falls under the direct command of the Rescue and Operation Center in the course of actual rescue operations.
18:33 Airborne police Taichung squadron summon crew to prepare for a rescue operation. But pilot asks the Chiayi Fire Department to call the air force's Chiayi base.
18:43 The Chiayi Fire Department Command Center makes third call to NFA for help in requesting a helicopter from the NPA.
18:50 Chiayi Fire Department telephones the Air Force's Seagull Air Rescue Group but its request for assistance is turned down.
18:53 The NFA finally calls NPA to request helicopter.
18:57 The Airborne police pilot asks the Taichung airport control tower for permission to take off.
19:05 The four workers are swept away.
19:06 Chiayi Fire Department informs airborne police that the workers have been swept away.
19:08 The Airborne police pilot (having learned of the latest developments) asks the control tower for permission to take off.
19:12 Helicopter takes off. Pilot then tells control tower mission is cancelled and requests permission to land.
19:14 Helicopter lands at Taichung airport.
Later Pilot fabricates flight log, giving take-off time as18:55.
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