Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is under fire after joking about the cruise liner disaster in which at least 11 people died off the Italian coast.

More than 20 people are still missing after the ship ran aground on rocks off the island of Giglio last Friday, and specialist divers are using explosives to blow holes in the hull in a desperate hunt for any survivors.

During an interview on Triple M radio in Adelaide yesterday morning, Mr Abbott made light of the situation.

"This is a bit from left field mate, the captain of the Costa Concordia wants to know if you need any help with your boat policy?" the Triple M announcer said.

"Well, that was one boat that did get stopped, wasn't it?" Mr Abbot replied, to laughter.

Federal Labor MP Rob Mitchell pounced on the remarks on Twitter today.

"Can't believe Abbott made his childish boat jokes about the #CostaConcordia disaster when people died & are still missing," he tweeted.

"He must come out and apologise."

When asked for his thoughts, Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said he did not want to dignify Mr Abbott's comments with a response.

"This is a tragedy. People have lost their lives. (We) shouldn't play politics with it, whether it's the Leader of the Opposition or anyone else and I don't intend to add to it."

'Over-reaction'

Mr Abbott, who is in South Australia to take part in a charity bike ride on the sidelines of the Tour Down Under, says Labor has over-reacted to his comments.

But he concedes the comments were inappropriate.

"On reflection, it's probably something that should not have been the subject of light-hearted banter on morning radio," he said.

"It was. It probably shouldn't have been, but I think the Labor Party should stop over-reacting and should appreciate just the kind of way that morning radio works.

"I was asked a light-hearted question, I gave a light-hearted response.

"It's probably not the subject that people should be bantering about, even on morning radio, but look, I think that's all that needs to be said about it and let's move on."

Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino is facing manslaughter accusations in the wake of the shipwreck and has been widely ridiculed for reportedly telling investigators he "tripped and fell" into a lifeboat as hundreds of panicking passengers tried to abandon ship.