Well two MiG-29 was actually "escorting" the plane to Minsk and there was KGB agents on board. I don't think crew had much to say. This was pure aircraft hijacking backed up by country (or two).
Sure, but once the plane had left Minsk and enterred friendly airspace there's no reason for Ryanair to not mention their missing passengers, other than risk finanicial reprisals (ryanair banned from overflying belarus)
There is an interview with the First Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of Belarus where he confirms that Mig-29 escorted the Boeing
How many cameras do you think exist capable of capturing a MIG-29 at 50k altitude in low population density areas? I doubt there are pictures of most military interceptions of passenger flights, which is no reason to doubt they happened.
The escorting aircraft would not need to fly side by side with the passenger aircraft. They could just fly behind, above or bellow the aircraft quite easily and not be seen by anyone on the aircraft.
Not to mention that Air to Air missiles have a range in the tens of kilometers and the MIG-29 has sensors to observe the aircraft up to 100 km away.
I don't think any of the passengers would have been aware in the slightest if the MIGs where flying 5 km behind the passenger aircraft.
But any credible Western source has confirmed the same? For example any of the passengers or the pilots have vouched that the airliner was escorted by military aircraft?