Yes, but why????
Because Vmini is a limitation (whether it should be or not is a matter for discussion), they had not been trained to fly below it nor been tested in their ability to fly below it on their IR or any subsequent checks.
When they tried it, they screwed it up because they weren't looking in the right place (AI) for the information they needed to safely conduct the transition.
Therefore, the Vmini is not a red herring.
It seems to be regarded by the manufacturers and the regulators as illegal yet the offshore community do it as a matter of course for night rig departures.
Isn't that what Geoffers was referring to about squaring the circle? It is widely done yet not within the rules so something of a catch 22.