Uplinker
You seem to be stuck in the groove here.
You state that you don't know about helicopters and are asking out of interest.
Then you ignore what people who do know what they're talking about are telling you.
VFR helicopters operate perfectly safely below MSA if flown in accordance with VFR.
It's kind of the reason that we have helicopters.
There is no requirement whatsoever - legal or safety - to fly above MSA if you are flying in suitable VFR conditions.
This accident did not happen because they were below MSA or flying too low. It happened because they continued flying in conditions that were unsuitable for VFR / VMC flight.