Is burial at sea disrespectful to Muslims?

According to recent reports I've been reading about the death and burial of Osama Bin Laden, I've come across a notion that despite any body preparation that may have been done (washing the body, wrapping it in white, reciting litanies in Arabic), the actual act of burial at sea itself is somehow highly offensive to Muslims. Is this the case? Is burial at sea, regardless of the personality, itself disrepectful or haram? Is there hadith or Qu'ranic input on this? And, how serious a disrespect would this be, if indeed the allegation is true?