"Generally speaking, helicopter departures are safer if you hover at a low height then pick up speed before climbing (look up the 'dead man's curve'). Even for a twin turbine this is generally safer. The pilot will be balancing this against the risk of hitting a line, which I'm sure he or she will be looking out for - I don't think this helicopter had line cutters installed. It's true that lines can be very hard to see. "
Abgd.
True, it is a comparative risk analysis. But the statistics show it is far safer to just go straight up when you are taking off from an off airport location. In the US Wirestrikes make up 25% of fatal accidents. Only 5% are engine related.
Many of those strikes were on takeoff, and they all were all "looking" for wire. Sometimes you just cant see it. The structures may be behind trees or buildings and the wire may blend with the background.
Unless I am on an airport, heliport or in the middle of a field where I can verify with 100% accuracy no wires for 200M or more, I'm just going to go straight up. It the lesser of the two risks.