UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                        Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 30, 2008




                          McDERMOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




  REPUBLIC OF PANAMA                 001-08430                 72-0593134
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(State or other jurisdiction        (Commission               (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)              File Number)            Identification No.)




  777 N. Eldridge Parkway, Houston, Texas                           77079
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 (Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip Code)


Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code:  (281) 870-5901
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Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

|_|  Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the  Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)
|_|  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)
|_|  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
|_|  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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Item 5.02  Departure of Directors or Certain  Officers;  Election of  Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.


         In connection with Mr.  Wilkinson's  resignation as our Chief Executive
Officer,  Mr. Wilkinson entered into a Separation Agreement with our subsidiary,
McDermott Incorporated, on September 30, 2008. Under the terms of the Separation
Agreement,  Mr. Wilkinson will provide general  advisory  services in connection
with his separation  for a period of 24 months  following his  resignation.  Mr.
Wilkinson will receive (a) a conditional  pro-rated bonus payment for 2008 in an
amount  that will  depend on the 2008 bonus  generally  paid to other  employees
under our EICP; (b) continued  vesting of his outstanding  equity awards through
September 30, 2010; and (c) accelerated  vesting of the unvested  portion of his
Supplemental  Executive  Retirement Plan ("SERP") account.  Based on the vesting
schedule of his existing equity awards, Mr. Wilkinson will vest in the following
amounts and awards through  September 30, 2010:  42,132 shares of deferred stock
units and,  depending  on the  performance  of the company,  between  90,000 and
174,000 shares of performance  shares.  The value of the accelerated  portion of
Mr.  Wilkinson's  SERP account as of September  30, 2008,  is  $362,643.08.  The
Separation  Agreement  also  includes a covenant not to compete and a release of
claims  by  Mr.  Wilkinson,  as  described  therein.  A copy  of the  Separation
Agreement  is attached  as Exhibit  10.1  hereto and is  incorporated  herein by
reference.

         On October 1, 2008,  Mr.  Wilkinson  also  entered  into a  Consultancy
Agreement with McDermott  Incorporated,  under which Mr.  Wilkinson will provide
consulting  services to assist the Board,  our Chief  Executive  Officer and our
leadership team with successful business continuity  following his departure for
a period of up to one year. Under the Consultancy Agreement,  Mr. Wilkinson will
receive a lump-sum payment of $2,000,000.00 and a series of consulting  payments
of (a) $31,250.00 per month for a specified  initial period and (b) a $2,900 per
diem (i) for each partial or full day of service in excess of 10 days of service
during each month of such  initial  period and (ii) for each partial or full day
of service during the remaining term  following such initial  period.  A copy of
the Consultancy Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and is incorporated
herein by reference.


Item 9.01     Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)      Exhibits

         10.1     Separation Agreement

         10.2     Consultancy Agreement


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                     McDERMOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC.


                             By:     /s/Dennis S. Baldwin
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                                     Dennis S. Baldwin
                                     Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer


October 6, 2008