dalek
The Investigating BOI stated quite clearly in their Report that "The forecast weather was suitable for the flight BUT would have required Flight in accordance with IFR in the vicinity of the Mull of Kintyre."
The corollary to that statement would be that the forecast weather would have precluded flight in accordance with VFR in the vicinity of the Mull of Kintyre. They should, therefore, have been at or above the Safety Altitude of 2400ft as they approached the Mull of Kintyre.
There will doubtless be numerous cries of "That's not the way SH operate" - however this was NOT an SH Task; it was a routine passenger transit flight utilising SH assets. I was once asked to fly top cover (and act as comms relay) to a SAR Helicopter en route to pick up a casualty on a motor cruiser - it did not turn my Andover into an MPA.